Many celebrity kids have been born with a different moniker to the ones we now know.
While many stars ditch their original name for a stage name for career purposes, it appears celebrity offspring have had their identity changed for different reasons.
Nicole Richie’s teenage daughter Harlow Madden was the latest celebrity offspring to unveil a new identity, on her 18th birthday this week.
The natural brunette has dyed her hair a shade of jet black – and is now going by her middle name, Kate.
While it’s unclear how long Kate – whose full name is Harlow Winter Kate Madden – has been embracing her middle name, she has been rocking the dramatic new hairstyle for a few months.
The look and name were fully put in the spotlight as Nicole celebrated her daughter’s birthday on Instagram on Sunday with a photo of the teenager.
Many celebrity kids have been born with a different moniker to what we all know – including Nicole Richie’s teenage daughter Harlow Madden who changed her name to Kate this week
It appears celebrity offspring change their identity for no apparent reason – Kylie Jenner’s son Aire was also born with a different name, Wolf
In the photo, Kate – who was last seen on the red carpet with honey-hued hair – was now rocking jet black tresses that cascaded past her chest.
The socialite tagged her daughter’s Instagram account, @katemaddenn.
Both Richie and her husband Joel Madden also jointly shared a sweet photo carousel of their birthday girl over the years. ’18 years of you,’ the post was captioned.
The former reality show star, 44, shares Kate and son Sparrow, 16, with Madden, 46.
And she’s not the first to drastically change her name for no apparent reason… So, who else has ditched their original name for a new identity?
Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott’s son Aire 
The reality star and her former partner, rapper Travis Scott, originally named their second child, Wolf, before changing his moniker to Aire, which means Lion of God
The mother-of-two revealed they made the switch because she felt Wolf didn’t fit her tot’s personality
The reality star and her former partner, rapper Travis Scott, originally named their second child, Wolf, before changing his moniker to Aire, which means Lion of God.
The mother-of-two revealed they made the switch because she felt Wolf didn’t fit her tot’s personality.
During an interview on The Late Late Show With James Cordon when Aire was first born, Kylie had hinted on her plans to change her son’s original name.
‘We haven’t officially legally changed the name,’ she admitted, at the time. ‘His name is still Wolf. His passport’s Wolf, but that isn’t gonna be his name. We’re just waiting.’
On the finale of The Kardashians, she had also recalled ‘crying in the shower’ because she knew in her gut that she hadn’t chosen the right name.
‘The advice I would give to you is: find your name before your hormones start raging and you have the child. It was the hormones that took me out,’ she told viewers.
Kylie added: ‘I didn’t realize the postpartum would hit me that hard. I never called him Wolf, ever.’
Amy Schumer and Chris Fischer’s son Gene 
In 2020, Amy Schumer revealed she’d changed her son’s name after realising it sounded like ‘genital’ (pictured in 2021)
The comedian welcomed her first child with husband Chris Fischer on May 5 2019 and named him Gene Attell Fischer, the middle name chosen in honor of her close friend and fellow comic Dave Attell (pictured with Chris in 2022)
In 2020, Amy Schumer revealed she’s changed her son’s name after realising it sounded like ‘genital.’
The comedian welcomed her first child with husband Chris Fischer on May 5 2019 and named him Gene Attell Fischer, the middle name chosen in honor of her close friend and fellow comic Dave Attell.
On podcast 3 Girls, 1 Keith, the Trainwreck star revealed that the couple changed Gene’s middle name.
‘Do you guys know that Gene, our baby’s name is officially changed? It’s now Gene David Fischer. It was Gene Attell Fischer, but we realized that we, by accident, named our son ‘Genital’.’ Amy explained.
Amy and her husband discussed the change with Attell and they decided to use his first name instead.
Her son’s first name is thought to be in honor of late actor and comedian Gene Wilder.
Aaron Paul and Lauren Parsekian’s son Ryden 
In 2022, Aaron Paul petitioned to change the legal first names of their son Ryden Caspian, who was first named Casper Emerson (seen in 2019)
At the time, TMZ reported that Aaron and Lauren detailed how they were required to give a name at the hospital for their son, before changing their minds later on and switching to Ryden
In 2022, Aaron Paul petitioned to change the legal first names of their son Ryden Caspian, 7 months, who was first named Casper Emerson.
At the time, TMZ reported that Aaron and Lauren detailed how they were required to give a name at the hospital for their son, before changing their minds later on and switching to Ryden.
They also note their reason for filing being that they want to ‘keep the family name consistent.’
Aaron and Lauren married in 2013 after meeting at Coachella in 2009. They reunited at the music festival again the following year, and the pair shared their first kiss.
They became engaged on New Year’s Eve in 2011 while the pair enjoyed their holiday in Paris.
Elon Musk and Grimes’ son X 
Grimes and billionaire Elon Musk famously tweaked their son’s name to follow California guidelines (pictured in 2018)
After initially announcing his name as X Æ A-12, their little one’s birth certificate ultimately states his first name is X and middle name is A AE-XII (pictured with X in April 2023)
Grimes and billionaire Elon Musk famously tweaked their son’s name to follow California guidelines.
After initially announcing his name as X Æ A-12, their little one’s birth certificate ultimately states his first name is X and middle name is A AE-XII.
The change was most likely made to follow California requirements that a name must be made from the English alphabet, not numbers and special signs.
Kathryn Hahn and Ethan Sandler’s kids 
Kathryn Hahn and her husband decided to legally change their teenage kids’ names to add Hahn, their famous mother’s maiden name, in front of their current last name (seen in 2015)
Kathryn Hahn and her husband decided to legally change their teenage kids’ names to add Hahn, their famous mother’s maiden name, in front of their current last name.
The WandaVision star, 49, and hubby Ethan Sandler, 49, filed a petition last year to add ‘Hahn’ as a second middle name before their last name ‘Sandler’ according to TMZ.
The couple has yet to give details as to why they decided to make the name changes, but 16-year-old Leonard will now be, Leonard Henry Hahn Sandler, and 13-year-old Mae will be, Mae Marie Hahn Sandler.
Kathryn and Ethan are college sweethearts who met at Northwestern University and have been married since 2002.
Their oldest child, Leonard, was born in 2006. He was followed by Mae, who was born three years later in 2009.
Caterina Scorsone and Rob Giles’ daughter Lucinda 
Caterina Scorsone revealed that she’d changed her daughter’s name (seen in 2019)
Caterina Scorsone also revealed that she’d changed her four-month-old baby daughter’s name.
The Grey’s Anatomy star ultimately decided to call her daughter Lucinda, with the nickname ‘Lucky’ for short.
Their little girl’s name was orignally was Arwen, which means ‘muse, fine, fair’ and is a famous character in The Lord of the Rings franchise.