Middle names are usually invisible in celebrity branding, which makes some full names surprisingly different from the versions audiences know.
PEOPLE has documented unusual examples ranging from Kate Garry Hudson to Kiefer Sutherland’s remarkable collection of several middle names.
Kate Hudson’s Middle Name Is Garry
Kate Hudson’s middle name is Garry, an intentionally unconventional choice made by her mother, Goldie Hawn. Hudson explained that she was named in memory of her uncle Garry, who died shortly before she was born. Rather than feeling embarrassed by the traditionally masculine name, Hudson has said she appreciates its androgynous quality and believes it ultimately suited her personality.
Elton John Chose Hercules as His Middle Name
Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, so “Hercules” was not a middle name selected by his parents. It became part of the name he chose for himself. Surprisingly, PEOPLE reports that the inspiration was not the muscular hero of Greek mythology but Hercules, the horse from British sitcom Steptoe and Son. That makes Elton Hercules John considerably more playful than the grand name initially sounds.
Tina Fey’s Middle Name Is Stamatina
Tina Fey was born Elizabeth Stamatina Fey. Her professional first name actually comes from the ending of that distinctive Greek middle name rather than from Elizabeth. The full version is so different from the familiar public identity that PEOPLE joked audiences might otherwise know her as Elizabeth Fey. The name also reflects Fey’s Greek maternal heritage while providing the shortened “Tina” she ultimately made famous.
Ciara’s Middle Name Is Princess
Ciara’s full name includes the unusually regal middle name, Princess. Unlike several other entries, there is little elaborate public explanation attached to why her parents chose it. That simplicity almost makes the name more memorable. The singer built a career under just her first name, meaning “Princess” remained largely hidden from an audience familiar with her music, fashion and public life.
Kiefer Sutherland Has Five Middle Names
Kiefer Sutherland’s full name is Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland. PEOPLE reports that the remarkable string honors several people important to his parents, including relatives and friends. Even Sutherland has joked about the complexity of explaining every part. For an actor who became globally famous simply as Kiefer Sutherland, the complete version sounds almost like an entire ensemble cast squeezed onto one birth certificate.
Uma Thurman’s Middle Name Is Karuna
Uma Thurman’s full name is Uma Karuna Thurman. PEOPLE explains that Karuna means compassion within a Buddhist context, fitting the spiritual interests of her family. Her father, Robert Thurman, became a prominent Buddhist scholar. “Uma” itself was already unusual for Hollywood audiences when she became famous, but the less frequently heard Karuna gives her complete name another direct connection with her family’s religious and cultural interests.
Martin Short’s Middle Name Is Hayter
Martin Short’s less famous middle name is Hayter. PEOPLE includes it among its collection of unusual celebrity middle names, a reminder that some of Hollywood’s most familiar names conceal unexpected additions once the complete birth name is written out. Unlike Kate Hudson’s Garry or Elton John’s self-selected Hercules, Hayter has never become central to Short’s public persona—which is precisely why many fans never encounter it.
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