Why Paul McCartney Doesn't Go By His Birth Name
Plenty of celebrities — and, for that matter, plenty of non-celebrities — go by names other than the ones they were given. Stage names are nothing new, and many entertainers simply pick names that are flashier, easier to remember, or more unique than their given names.
The man born as Krishna Pandit Bhanji wanted a name that didn’t have the (contradictory) religious connotations, and changing his name to Ben Kingsley gave him an immediate boost in Hollywood job opportunities.
Meanwhile, some actors have to change their names to meet Screen Actors Guild requirements. Only one actor with a given name can be registered with the prestigious group, so Michael Andrew Fox became Michael J. Fox and Emily Stone became Emma Stone to avoid duplications.
None of these reasons, however, explain why Paul McCartney goes by a name that isn’t the one he was given.
Source: cheatsheet.com
