17 Celebrities whose real names will seriously surprise you

With all the celebrity news outlets (guilty!) and the various social media profiles belonging to the rich and famous, we ordinary citizens like to think we know a reasonable amount of information about the A-listers of our time. From secret affairs to Starbucks coffee orders, as well as most celebrity pregnancies (ahem, Kylie Jenner), there's not much that goes above our prying noses.

Except, well... their true identities. It turns out that a lot of celebrities have ditched their real names in favour of something that's more memorable or easier to remember.

Most of the time, as was the case with Jennifer Aniston, actors choose to change their names to make them easier to read and recognise. Exotic-sounding names are often changed so the person isn't subject to stereotyping (Bruno Mars), and at other times it comes down to a personal preference to go with their childhood nickname (Miley Cyrus) or middle name (Brad Pitt).

Many celebs adopt monikers simply to sound cooler (I'm looking at you, Iggy Azalea) and as a way to let their performer personality become more closely associated with their off-screen or off-stage persona. For Lana Del Rey, changing her name was the result of a failed album she released under her real name. She picked herself up and got back into the game by rebranding herself, name and all.

But let's get into it. Here are 17 celebrities whose real names would be completely unfamiliar to you.

1. Mila Kunis

Real name: Milena Markovna Kunis

2. Katy Perry

Real name: Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson

3. Miley Ray Cyrus

Real name: Destiny Hope Cyrus

4. Emma Stone

Real name: Emily Jean Stone

5. Brad Pitt

Real name: William Bradley Pitt

6. Travis Scott

Real name: Jacques Webster

7. Gigi Hadid

Real name: Jelena Noura Hadid

8. Meghan Markle

Real name: Rachel Meghan Markle

9. Bruno Mars

Real name: Peter Gene Hernandez

10. Reese Witherspoon

Real name: Laura Jeanne Reese Witherspoon

11. Nicki Minaj

Real name: Onika Tanya Maraj

12. Calvin Harris

Real name: Adam Richard Wiles

13. Lana Del Rey

Real name: Elizabeth Woolridge Grant

14. Jennifer Aniston

Real name: Jennifer Linn Anastassakis

15. Elle Macpherson

Real name: Eleanor Nancy Gow

16. Elton John

Real name: Reginald Kenneth Dwight

17. Iggy Azalea

Real name: Amethyst Amelia Kelly

Who else is seeing the A-list crowd with totally different eyes now?