From Fishnets to Fame: The Real Names Behind the Icons

Lady Gaga. Drake. Snoop Dogg. Vin Diesel. You know the names—but not the ones they were born with.
In this second episode of You Won’t Believe Who These Names Belong To, we uncover the real names behind the fame and the surprising stories of how some of pop culture’s biggest legends rewrote their identities—and sometimes, their destinies.
🎭 What does it take to go from Peter Hernandez to Bruno Mars? From Mark Sinclair to Vin Diesel?
Join us as we dig into the childhoods, turning points, and bold decisions that shaped their public personas.
From hilarious nicknames to strategic reinventions, these transformations are anything but accidental.
🧠 How many did you guess right? What names shocked you most?
Got a weird name-change story of your own—or know someone who once legally became Optimus Prime?
Drop it in the comments and share the game.
📌 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share with a friend who thinks “Caryn Johnson” sounds familiar…
👉 You might also like:
Check out Did Einstein Steal Her Genius?—another story that rewrites everything you thought you knew:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQmG7VpR6Ek
#LadyGaga #Drake #SnoopDogg #VinDiesel #StageNames #NameChange #CelebrityOrigins #PopCultureHistory #AnOuncePodcast
Other episodes in the series:
You Won’t Believe Who These Names Belong To!
The “Name Change Series” from An Ounce Released on or about:
(1) July 31, 2025:The Real Identities of Famous Icons
(2) August 14, 2025:They Changed Their Names -Then Changed Pop Culture
(3) August 28, 2025:Masters of Disguise - When Changing Your Name Was the Only Way to Escape
(4) September 4, 2025:The Reinvention Game
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Chapters
00:00 – Intro: Do You Know Their Real Names?
00:39 – Stefani Germanotta → Lady Gaga
01:56 – Peter Hernandez → Bruno Mars
03:06 – Mark Sinclair → Vin Diesel
04:06 – Caryn Johnson → Whoopi Goldberg
04:53 – Aubrey Graham → Drake
05:46 – Calvin Broadus Jr. → Snoop Dogg
06:26 – Final Reflection & Closing Thoughts
06:45 – An Ounce
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References
• Bruno Mars name origin – The Guardian
https://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/aug/24/bruno-mars-facts
• Whoopi Goldberg name history – Biography
https://www.biography.com/actors/whoopi-goldberg
• Vin Diesel real name and background – IMDb Bio
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004874/bio
• Drake on Degrassi – NPR
https://www.npr.org/2023/10/05/drake-degrassi-career
• Lady Gaga early life and name – Britannica
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Gaga
• Snoop Dogg biography – Rolling Stone
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/snoop-dogg-biography-career-2022-1284649/