Diddy
Changing his name a handful of times, Sean Combs finally went to the one-name moniker of Diddy. He began as Puff Daddy then shortened it to P. Diddy. Now it's just Diddy. Who knows, maybe he'll change it again.
Lilakoi Moon
Star of the 1980s sitcoms "The Cosby Show" and "A Different World," Lisa Bonet changed her name to Lilakoi Moon. She originally changed her name thinking it would bring her more privacy. Continuing to act probably isn't the best idea if you want privacy and she continued to be credited as "Lisa Bonet" long after she made the switch.
Big Baby Jesus
Ol' Dirty Bastard, or OBD, changed his name to Big Baby Jesus in 1998. An original member of Wu-Tang Clan, Big Baby Jesus didn't change his name because of religious tendencies. He died of an overdose in late 2004.
Whoopi Goldberg
Caryn Johnson began her career as an actress and comedienne in the 1980s. Open about her bodily functions, she got her new name from someone telling her "You're like a whoopee cushion." Although a little strange, her name can't be said without everyone admiring the charismatic actress.
Metta World Peace
Ron Artest, the rambunctious NBA player who once punched a fan, changed his name to Metta World Peace. Metta is a Buddhist term meaning loving-kindness and friendliness towards others. It's unclear if his name switch was the result of a religious conversion, check out his rap to find out.
Symbol
Prince Rogers Nelson might win the award for the most bizarre name change in history. He changed his original name, Prince, to an unpronounceable symbol that he explained was a combination of the symbols for man and woman. He insisted that he should be referred as Love Symbol No. 2, but after many years of the press referring to him as "the Artist Formerly Known as Prince," he changed his name back.
Yusuf Islam
Singer-songwriter once known as Cat Stevens changed his birth name of Steven Demetre Georgiou because he thought Cat Stevens had a better ring. In 1976, Stevens nearly drowned and began studying Islam. He changed his name to Yusuf Islam shortly after converting in 1977 and began performing for charitable and philanthropic causes.
