Should Wrestlers Use Real or Fake Names?

[Fansince1992]

I was thinking about Wrestlers who use thier REAL names as thier stage names. John Cena seems to the only Top superstar Present and Past to do this. There may be others, i just havn't really thought about it.

Would other stars benefit more from just using thier real name ?

I understand wrestlers need an alternative name to match thier gimmick, like The Undertaker (he wouldn't really be THAT cool if he was refered to as "The Phenom" Mark Calloway. "The Immortal" Terry Bollea also sounds out of place.

Perhaps John Cena is just born lucky to have a Catchy name? (well some might Disagree, and say his name sucks, he has enough haters)

What do others think?

 

[GameOver]

you said it, he has a catchy name and that's more important than you being you after all they are a character not a real person when it comes to being in the business.

Do you think "The Immortal" Terry Bolea would've ever taken off? That's Hogan's real name might not be spealt right but i'm just proving a point.

or Richard Morgan Fliehr (Ric Flair), Michael Hickenbothom (HBK), Paul Levesque (Triple H), Mark Caloway (Undertaker), Joannie Laura (Chyna) they aren't marquee names. and it's no different in Hollywood, they change there names to something more catchy or that looks more impressive or at the very least so it's easier to say or remember.

So it comes back to it depends on the persons real name something like a Daniel Bryan is ok it's not a bizarre name and it can look good on promotional material. Note they also change there names so they don't clash with someone else or to avoid being stereotyped as someone else ie McGuillicutty doesn't want to live in his fathers shadow so he was all for changing his name in ring.

 

[gooseholla]

It depends. Mainly, no, because people have ordinary names in the main which aren't catchy.

Would The Rock have been so big if he stayed Dwayne Johnson? No - Rocky Maivia wasn't even that catchy. Steve Austin, by changing "Williams" or "Anderson" or whatever it was, became catchy. A simple change but effective. Mick Foley kept his name, but Cactus Jack and Mankind were catchy and made him big.

People should have characters - wrestling is steretyped as larger than life characters - and therefore they should have names which befit that character. Ordinary names just bring back memories of 80s wrestling with jobbers in white trunks.

 

[Enoch V2]

Funny, i remember Cena's debut when he came to the ring in front of Kurt Angle and was like "I'm JOHN CENA". My first thought was: A wrestler named John? No way.

But yeah, they're characters and their names need to be marketable, hence why many use simpler versions of their real names like Ric Flair or Steiner.

 

[I Heart Cena]

No. Cena should have stayed as The Prototype. Personalities wanted. Characters wanted. Taker>Mark Calloway. CM Punk>Phil Brooks

Many here would mark the F out if The Prototype returns. Gimmicks are better.

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

It depends on their character. John Cena was supposed to be the all-American kid, the guy-next-door, the every-man that people could identify with, so it helped that his name sounded like a regular, every day name. Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit were all supposed to be no non-sense, serious athletes, so giving them a goofy name wouldn't fit their characters. Even their nicknames had a reason and were based in reality; Kurt Anger really was an "Olympic Gold Medalist", Brock Lesnar really was looked at, and was being groomed to be, "The Next Big Thing", and Chris Benoit really had broken Sabu's neck, so he was "The Crippler"

Then there are people with over the top characters who need over the top names (i.e. The Undertaker) or people who's real name just wouldn't fit their character ("The Straight Edge Messiah"... Phillip Brooks?)

 

[LeeMitchell]

These days WWE tends to give the majority of their performers character names anyway, so if they leave the company WWE still have the copyright on the character, so that performer can't use it.
I think with John Cena, it helped that it was short, catchy, and he was easy to identify with. However, almost all who have come into the WWE since don't use their real names.

 

[IamPerfection]

Brock Lesnar used his real name and he reached about the same stage of the WWE ladder that Cena did. Ted DiBiase used his real name in a time larger than life, comic book characters were the norm in WWE so yeah I think they can get over.

A name doesn't make a character, but yes it sure does help with the viewers image of the character the superstar is supposed to be portraying.

 

[BaconBits]

If a wrestler has a catchy name, yes. That way, they don't have to change their name if things with the WWE or TNA go sour.

 

[Skairipa Matrix]

i think its better they dont use their real names as other people have said there real names just arent catchy but ring names are a hell of alot easier to rember and are usually more catchy the only person i can think of that isnt using their real name and should is Micheal McGillicutty my god that name SUCKS i just wish he could use Joe Hennig! but other then that ring names work just fine

 

[jontabs]

I was thinking about Wrestlers who use thier REAL names as thier stage names. John Cena seems to the only Top superstar Present and Past to do this. There may be others, i just havn't really thought about it.

For the record, Eddie Guerrero, Brock Lesnar, Kurt Angle, Bret Hart, Owen Hart, Billy Graham, Randy Orton, Mick Foley, Kevin Nash, Bill Goldberg are but a few examples of top wrestlers using their real names.


using a real or a stage name would depend on the guys name really. its been pointed out. Jean Paul Levesque, Michael Hickenbottom, Terry Bollea, Scott Levy, Roddy Toombs, or Randy Poffo just wouldnt have worked out.

 

[Shotaro]

As others have said, it depends on their real name. Randall Keith Orton sucks, but Randy Orton as a wrestler name is kinda awesome. It's the same with music. George Micheal is a good name. David Jones is kinda dull so he changed his surname to Bowie. It all depends.

 

[3:16]

I think it depends on the person because some of the wrestlers actual names are not impressive nor sound like they would win over with the fans. So in some cases its better to use a fake name than your real name

 

[Daniel]

Whatever works.

There's not - and shouldn't be - a hard and fast rule. Wrestling names to be snappy, memorable and marketable. It's why John Cena didn't have to change his name, but Paul Lloyd, Jr. did.

And let us not forget changing names to fit a certain gimmick. Paul Levesque changed his name to Hunter Hearst Helmsley because it fit his gimmick of the "Connecticut Blueblood". Sometimes a name change is absolutely essential.

 

[A-KO]

Although HBK's real name maybe Michael Hickenbottom, but its been put on record by his mother (I think) that he preferred to be called Shawn. So that kind of set his ring name up.

On a side note (since today is Wrestlemania day) Kurt Angle and Brock Lesnar were the first 2 wrestlers to main event a Wrestlemania (WM19) using their real names as opposed to their ring names. This has only been done once since then (John Cena v John 'Bradshaw' Layfield - WM21).

The only reason a lot of wrestlers use ring names is so that WWE can copyright those names, and as another poster said, at times, their real names just don't cut it.

 

[Serious Mozzarella]

Would you want Kane walking around with everyone calling him, "Glenn"?

Some wrestlers don't need to use fake names because their real names are marketable already. John Cena, Randy Orton, etc. Then there's Paul Levesque. And Terry Bollea.

 

[Xemmy]

If your real name is good enough, then sure. John Cena is able to because Cena is a pretty unusual last name, and it slides off the tongue. Same goes for Randy Orton. Orton also has a legacy to it. But with more ordinary sounding names such as Mark Callaway, Dwayne Johnson, Steve Williams, Chris Irvine, and Phil Brooks- these names just don't. They sound plain. Dull. And whether it be for their character, or just because they want to add some unique quality to their name- it's more often than not better to have a gimmick name.

 

[One to Remember]

Some names are modified real names though. There are a few mods i dont get like Mike Rotunda going to Rotundo or Chris Candito becoming Chris Candido. There are a few mods i like. I would hate the name "the RechSteiner Bros." for example.

William Regal sounds better then Daron anything for a upscale Englishman. John Cena clicks but I also dont like the name John or Cena. Joe Hennig should just embrace his heritage or use his moms last name which makes more sense. I mean your father is dead so show some respect. Curt Hennig never tried to distance himself from "the Ax" and Eddie Guerrero, Mysterio, Cody Rhodes, or the Rock did not surfer any direct damage due to their usage of their proper surnames..

Thats like saying Shawn Stasiak went no where simply because his dad was WWWF champion..

Rick Rude is better then Rick Rood and Richard Fliehr probably could be pronounced the same as Flair. I like the sound of Bobby or Robert Roode but hate the spelling, it should be Rude. Look, pronounciation, and association are all important. Richard Blood < Rick(y) Steamboat. If Cena were said as Kena or Cheena I would cringe. I thought it was cool how David Hart Smith could combine three hideous names to make one good one and incorporate two lineages, hyphenated or not.

 

[Fansince1992]

Remember when a few of the old Golden Age WWE Wrestlers switched to WCW back in the day. They actually used thier real names (probably because WWE had rights to thier Fake names)

WWE - Razor Ramon
WCW- Scott Hall

WWE - Diesel
WCW - Kevin Nash

WWE - Mr Perfect
WCW - Curt Hening

Hall and Nash even used thier real names when they returned later to WWE. Thier names are pretty short (like John Cena) so i guess it worked for Hall/Nash. Also Bret/Owen Hart are other short names that they could use and get away without inventing a Fake name.

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

It depends on their character. John Cena was supposed to be the all-American kid, the guy-next-door, the every-man that people could identify with, so it helped that his name sounded like a regular, every day name. Kurt Angle, Brock Lesnar, Chris Benoit were all supposed to be no non-sense, serious athletes, so giving them a goofy name wouldn't fit their characters. Even their nicknames had a reason and were based in reality; Kurt Anger really was an "Olympic Gold Medalist", Brock Lesnar really was looked at, and was being groomed to be, "The Next Big Thing", and Chris Benoit really had broken Sabu's neck, so he was "The Crippler"

Then there are people with over the top characters who need over the top names (i.e. The Undertaker) or people who's real name just wouldn't fit their character ("The Straight Edge Messiah"... Phillip Brooks?)

Cena didn't start out that way. It still worked though as a suburban wigger named "John Cena works".

there is no black and white here. It's all grey. for some guys their real name works, for others it doesn't. It all depends on the name and how good a guy is at bringing a character alive. Diversity in the product is a good thing.

Most of you guys are also speaking with hindsight bias. "Phill brooks" sounds bland but "John Cena" doesn't? When he first came out as "John Cena" I thought it sounded bland. Don't let hindsight bias skew your perception. Names can become a bigger deal based on the wrestler.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

it's CALAWAY not CALOWAY,steve austin has take the name of Austin due to an other wrestler carrying the same name.
an other thing impotant Shawn isn't originary in Texas he was born in other states of the USA.
Chris jericho is his real name like fatu take the name of Rikishi

 

[TWJC: The Beginning]

it's CALAWAY not CALOWAY,steve austin has take the name of Austin due to an other wrestler carrying the same name.
an other thing impotant Shawn isn't originary in Texas he was born in other states of the USA.
Chris jericho is his real name like fatu take the name of Rikishi

So Chris Jericho's dad was a former NHL player named Ted Irvine but his name is Jericho? That doesn't make any sense. Except that Jericho isn't his real last name.

Shawn was an army brat, being a white christian from a military family makes you about as Texan as it gets IMO. He's a Texan.

I think the style of names comes and goes with the times. You don't ever want too much of one or the other.

 

[Wrestlemania 20-0]

it's curious, on the Wikipédia page he mentionned that Shawn is born in Chandler Arizona, and the same page he was born in San antonio Texas what understand?

 

[whoopin' ass]

a certain California Governor doesn't exactly have an easy name to spell but he made a good career in Hollywood with it. Goldberg isn't exactly an intimidating name but Bill Goldberg made it work. I am sure people think Bobby Roode should have changed is last name to Rude but he seems to be doing okay as is. i am not so worried about if they should use real or fake names unless it makes no sense - why go with Micheal McGillicutty when your name is Joe Hennig and people will respond to it already? same with Daniel Bryan. I understand the copyright thing but there was no real need to switch his name around. but in the end, if a wrestler wants to use a fake name over their real one, doesn`t really bother me. you get used to the name and there are always nicknames that are used as well(The Rock for example). i think though they should own that name. if you become a big star, it isn`t a huge deal but if you are a Billy Gunn, having to get a new name established can be a pain.

 

[xxxdaniel_ariesxxx]

Then there are people who's real name sounds like a stage name... Richard Blood? Doesn't that just sound like a stage name? But, alas, Mr. Blood was destined to be a babyface among babyfaces, so a name like "Blood" just wouldn't do, so we got the Legend that was Ricky "The Dragon" Steamboat.