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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: name change

name change stories: 12 news summaries

 Spencer Pratt Wants 
 to Be King of America 

Reality star plans name change. No joke.

Sep 2, 09 9:22 AM CDT
(Newser) - Is America ready for King Spencer Pratt? Doesn't matter, because the ever-modest reality star is planning to legally change his name, Star reports. "Spencer says that if there is a Queen of England…there should be a King of America, and he nominates himself for the title," a... More »

MORE ABOUT:
entertainment • reality TV • king • name change • Spencer Pratt • Heidi Montag

(Newser) - A Republican Texas state legislator has drawn the ire of Democrats, and others, for suggesting Asian voters change their names to ones “easier for Americans to deal with,” the Houston Chronicle reports. The comments from Betty Brown came Tuesday, when the legislature heard testimony from a Chinese-American group... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Texas • race relations • voting rights • Asian-Americans • name change • Chinese Americans • Betty Brown

'Rockefeller' Fights False Name Charges

Con man just gave
cops name he'd used for 15 years: defense

Mar 2, 09 3:13 PM CST
(Newser) - The con man who went by “Clark Rockefeller” attempted today to dismiss charges he gave police a fake name when arrested last year, the Boston Globe reports. Christian Karl Gerhartsreiter told police arresting him for absconding with his 7-year-old daughter that he was Clark Rockefeller—as he had told... More »

MORE ABOUT:
fraud • Massachusetts • name • false statement • name change • Clark Rockefeller • Reigh Boss • con man

Madoff Grandkids May Change Name 

It's not easy being related to a Ponzi schemer

Feb 2, 09 8:57 AM CST
(Newser) - What to do if you’re the innocent grandchild of a Ponzi schemer, feeling the public backlash at your ritzy uptown prep school? Change your name—at least, that’s what the family of Bernie Madoff is considering for his grandkids, the New York Post reports. Good luck, little Madoffs—... More »

MORE ABOUT:
fraud • Ponzi scheme • name change • Bernard Madoff • Bernard L. Madoff Investment Securities

Pittsburgh's Superfan Mayor Changes Name

Ravenstahl now 'Steelerstahl' ahead of playoff with Baltimore

Jan 14, 09 4:17 PM CST
(Newser) - Eschewing the usual (read: boring) wager with a fellow politician over the big game, Pittsburgh’s mayor is changing his name ahead of the hometown Steelers’ AFC championship tilt against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Luke Ravenstahl hit the Allegheny County clerk’s office today, Deadspin reports, though it could... More »

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Pittsburgh Steelers • Baltimore Ravens • sports betting • Pittsburgh • Luke Ravenstahl • NFL playoffs • name change

(Newser) - A Chicago salon named Ossama’s Hair Design has seen a marked uptick in business after changing its name to Obama’s, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. “This is going to work for me for sure,” said Mike Elsheikh, the shop’s owner. “The name is absolutely... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Barack Obama • Chicago • hair • Osama bin Laden • salon • barbershop • name change • President Obama

 When Did Bombay 
 Become Mumbai? 

Locals have always called it that, but city made it official in 1995

Dec 1, 08 2:07 PM CST
(Newser) - The terrorist attacks last week saw Mumbai dominate headlines across the world. But when did Bombay become Mumbai? For locals it’s always been Mumbai, in honor of Mumbadevi, the city’s deity, writes Christopher Beam for Slate. But the city’s official name change happened in 1995, when the... More »

MORE ABOUT:
India • Bollywood • Mumbai • nationalism • name • name change • Bombay

 NFL Blocks 'Ocho Cinco' Jersey Name Change  

Bengals' 85 must stick with old name unless he pays for souvenir shirts

Oct 24, 08 1:48 AM CDT
(Newser) - Chad Ocho Cinco's jersey is going to continue to read plain old "C. Johnson" for the rest of the 2008 season, reports AP. The Cincinnati Bengals receiver legally changed his name before the season to the Spanish words for his shirt number. But the NFL has ruled that Ocho... More »

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NFL • Reebok • Cincinnati Bengals • Chad Johnson • name change

Kiwi Judge Chucks Kid's Crazy Name

'Tallulah Does The Hula From Hawaii' latest of many

Jul 25, 08 5:17 AM CDT
(Newser) - A New Zealand judge has allowed 9-year-old Tallulah Does The Hula From Hawaii to change her name, the BBC reports. The judge said the bizarre name makes a fool of the girl—who prefers to be called "K"—and would pose a likely handicap later in life. He... More »

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New Zealand • name • name change

 The Best Celeb Name Changes 

Ones that don't roll off the tongue often get a makeover

Jul 10, 08 1:23 PM CDT
(Newser) - What’s in a name? Apparently everything worth changing, reports Radar. Inspired by the list-heavy Cityfile, a wiki-style Facebook of sorts for notable New Yorkers (wondering which celebs are Bentley owners?), Radar created its own gossipy inventory: famous folks with changed names:
  • Natalie Portman, actor: Natalie Hershlag
  • Moby, musician:
... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Geraldo Rivera • list • celebrity • gossip • Ralph Lauren • Jon Stewart • Moby • Natalie Portman • Ghostface Killah • Jon Bon Jovi • name • name change

 In Aussie Outback,
 It's All in 'Skin' Name 

Secondary tag tells others where you fit in a complicated kinship system

Jul 7, 08 7:03 AM CDT
(Newser) - When she moved to the central Australian outback, Penny Bergen was ready for a drastically different life, but she didn’t know it would take a new name to stake her place in a tiny Aboriginal community. Reporting for Radio Free Netherlands, the journalist writes about her experience getting a... More »

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Australia • Aborigines • name • name change

 New Real Name
 for Hannah Montana

Teen superstar changes her Destiny

Mar 19, 08 6:19 AM CDT
(Newser) - Two names is enough for Miley Ray Cyrus, also known as Hannah Montana, E! Online reports. The teen superstar has filed to have her name legally changed from Destiny Hope Cyrus to Miley Ray Cyrus—the name her legions of fans know her by and the name her family has... More »

MORE ABOUT:
Disney Channel • Hannah Montana • Miley Cyrus • Billy Ray Cyrus • name • Destiny Hope Cyrus • The Hannah Montana Movie • name change

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