Miley Cyrus has been out of the spotlight for a while, but with the recent release of her hit song with Mark Ronson, ‘Nothing Breaks Like A Heart’, she’s getting new fans and more excitement for upcoming projects. But how well do they really know Miley…or should we say, Destiny Hope?
She’s been Miley to the public for so long that it’s actually a shock to remember that she was born with a different name! While a lot of celebrities have changed their names for many reasons, it seems a lot of people don’t know Miley Cyrus’ original name. Find out what the singer’s name was before she achieved success, and why she ended up changing it a few years after her Hollywood debut.
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What Is Miley Cyrus’ Real Name?
Miley Cyrus’ full name is actually Destiny Hope Cyrus! Her parents, Billy Ray and Leticia Jean Cyrus, gave her those two names because they literally hoped it would wish her a bright future. The name allegedly came to her dad one day when he was lying next to his wife, who was still pregnant with Miley.
When Did Miley Cyrus Change Her Name?
Miley Cyrus’ name change happened in 2008 when she was a bit over fifteen years old! At that time, she was still working on Hannah Montana, the hit Disney series, and she decided that this stage name of Miley should become her legal name as well.
Where Did Miley’s New Name Come From?
The name ‘Miley’ was actually taken from her childhood nickname, ‘Smiley’. Her family gave her that nickname because she was always smiling when she was just a little girl!
Why Did Miley Cyrus Change Her Name?
Miley Cyrus’ real name, Destiny Hope, was cute and meaningful, but when she began her acting career, she started with Miley. Because she had been known as Miley for a couple of years in the entertainment industry, and because her own family called her by her nickname anyway, it only made sense to make the change legal.
What Did Miley Cyrus’ Parents Think Of Her Name Change?
While Miley Cyrus’ first name and middle name meant a lot to her parents, Miley changed her name to ‘Miley Ray Cyrus’ as a tribute to her father and her grandfather Ronald Ray Cyrus, so we’re sure they’re pretty fine with it!
In fact, her parents were the ones who helped her file for her name change, and her dad indicated that they wanted ‘to make her commonly used name the same as her legal name’ in the petition. It probably didn’t feel like too big a change since they would be calling her by her childhood nickname.
Does Miley Want To Change Her Name Again?
She does! In fact, she already has. She just got married to Liam Hemsworth in December 2018, and he revealed that she’s recently changed her name by taking his! “She will still be, obviously, known as Miley Cyrus, but she took my name, which is great,” Liam said. “I think that was honestly one of the best things about it. I didn’t ask her to take my name, and then she was like, ‘No, of course I’m taking your name.’ I’m like, ‘That’s awesome!‘”
Even if Miley is legally Mrs Miley Ray Hemsworth, she’s going to be named in all of her projects by her maiden name, Miley Cyrus. It’s an interesting choice, given how few female celebrities are choosing to change their legal name when they tie the knot!
Is Miley The Only Member Of Her Family Who’s Changed Names?
Yep! Billy Ray actually wanted to change his name in 2017 by dropping his first name and middle birth names completely. He was planning to go by simply ‘Cyrus’, which we’re sure would’ve caused a ton of confusion at family reunions.
Billy explained in 2017, “I always went by Cyrus, and I begged Mercury Records to call me Cyrus in the beginning because that’s what I was comfortable with. I’m going to the hospital where I was born in Bellefonte, Kentucky, and legally changing my name.”
His fans, however, weren’t sold on the idea, and he ended up explaining to Ryan Seacrest in an interview that he’s putting the name change plans aside until he figures out what name to settle on. He also didn’t realise that it was such a big deal to his fanbase!
While there were also rumours that Miley’s mum Leticia was planning to change her name as well to simply ‘Tish’, these have never been confirmed, and we think people are really just poking fun at how name changes seem to run in the Cyrus family!
So What’s Miley Cyrus Been Working On Lately?
Miley recently released a new album in May 2019, entitled She Is Coming. The lead single, Cattitude, features RuPaul and has ignited some serious controversy with its lyrics. She also starred in an episode of the latest season of Black Mirror as Ashley O, a pop phenomenon who struggles to get creative control back from her management.
It’s a running joke that the Hannah Montana star literally changed her ‘Destiny’ by changing her name to Miley, but we think that it was a smart move. Whatever alias she goes by – Hannah Montana, Miley Cyrus, Miley Hemsworth or even Ashley O – she’s always proven she’s one to watch with her chart-topping singles and interesting private life.
Changing your name in Hollywood is common because it’s considered key to shaping your image. Miley is just one among hundreds. You’ll be surprised to find out who among your celebrity faves actually have a different birth name!
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