Miley Cyrus fans 'can't believe' star's real name as she says she'd 'never go back' to it
Miley Cyrus fans were left stunned after finding out that the pop sensation went through a name change way back in 2008. A TikTok clip has been doing the rounds, showing the now-31 year old star opening up about her disdain for her birth name.
In a nostalgic interview with Entertainment Tonight, the "Wrecking Ball" singer opened up about her decision to switch names. Backstage at one of her concerts, an interviewer asked Miley what she had legally changed her name to, and the former Hannah Montana star replied: "Miley. What I've always been called, yeah."
She then pulled a face of clear distaste as she disclosed that her original name given by her parents was Destiny Hope Cyrus, quipping: "Never again, it doesn't technically legally count! ".
READ MORE: Miley Cyrus' dad Billy Ray 'files for divorce after seven months of marriage'
Miley opened up about the inspiration behind her original name on an episode of Netflix's ‘My Next Guest Needs No Introduction With David Letterman’ in 2024. Letterman said to the Flowers vocalist: "Let me ask you: Destiny Hope Cyrus. What was going on there?"
Miley joked in response: "It's a big shoe to fill.” Going into more detail, the pop icon revealed how her mum, Tish Cyrus, and her dad, country music star Billy Ray Cyrus, chose the name for her because they believed her destiny was to bring hope to the world.
Letterman replied: "That's lovely but a lot to load on a kid." Miley agreed, telling the host: "It is lovely. It is a lot but I do think that from the beginning it set an intention, which we don't always have."
Miley chose her new moniker thanks to a nickname given by her family. She explained that her parents called her Smiley because of her sunny disposition, which turned into Miley. The singer filed a petition in the Los Angeles Superior Court to have her name legally changed to Miley Ray Cyrus in March 2008 when she was 15, according to court documents obtained by TODAY.com. Her request was granted in May the same year.
The short clip of Miley’s scorn over her previous name caused surprise as fans raced to share their surprise that the singer once went by a different name.
One viewer commented: “I never even knew that was her name before." Another user added: "I never knew this." Someone else penned: “Why am I just finding this out."
Miley isn't the only actor and musician to go by a different name to the one they were given at birth. Take Marshal Mathers for instance, better known as Eminem, or Winona Ryder, who was actually born Winona Laura Horowitz.
Sometimes it's because celebs don’t think their name has enough ‘star appeal’ to stand out among the crowd, while others really don’t like their given moniker and are keen to change it the first chance they get.
Do you have a story to share? Email eve.wagstaff@reachplc.com
