In the world of showbiz, names are everything. This is what forms a celebrity’s identity. Many believe names have little to do with the kind of person one is but for those living under the limelight all the time, they are of utmost importance as these people are known only by their stage names.

That is why many singers and actor change their identities upon entering showbiz. But we bet you didn’t know some of your favourite stars have birth certificates baring different monikers? As compiled from Pinkvilla, here are 10 Bollywood celebrities who changed their names before they became famous.

Salman Khan

The Bhai of Bollywood may be everyone’s favourite but hardly anyone knows that his birth name is actually a longer version of his stage name. He changed Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan to just Salman Khan when he first began acting.

Rajinikanth

Worshipped and loved by millions across the globe, this humble actor is actually a Maratha. And so, his real name is Shivaji Rao Gaekwad. The south Indian sensation later changed it to Rajinikanth and is now known by the latter everywhere.

Akshay Kumar

There is a lot of conjecture as to why the Khiladi star changed his name upon returning to India from Canada. But Akshay was born Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia and he named his production company, Hari Om Entertainment, after that.

Sridevi

The late Bollywood beauty was born in South India and given the name of Sri Amma Yanger Ayyapan. It was changed to Sridevi many years later, once she realised the original was too long and complicated, especially for a celebrity. The change worked well for her though as soon after, the actor became an icon across India.

Tiger Shroff

Just like his father Jackie Shroff, this action hero changed his name once he grew up. Tiger’s birth name is Jai Hemant Shroff but he took on ‘Tiger’ as it sounded cooler to him. In fact, Jackie was also born Jai Kishan Kakubhai but adopted ‘Jackie’ to be more hip.

Preity Zinta

Like most Indian Punjabis, Preity was given a longer name than the one she is known for. But Preetam Singh Zinta shortened it to just ‘Preity’ and we’re sure she is glad she did so!

Dharmendra

This Bollywood veteran’s original name is not Dharmendra but Dharam Singh Deol. And in case you were wondering, this is why his children Abhay, Sunny, Bobby and Esha have ‘Deol’ as their last names.

Katrina Kaif

When she first came to Bollywood, Katrina started off with the name Katrina Turquotte. But once she began gaining popularity, the beauty queen made ‘Kaif’ her surname so that it would be easier for her Indian fans to call her.

Shilpa Shetty

Yes, Shilpa wasn’t born Shilpa Shetty either. Her birth name was actually Ashwini Shetty but her mother changed it to ‘Shilpa’ after their family astrologer said that it would bring her more fame and good fortune.

Rekha

The Umrao Jaan legend has shortened her name Bhanurekha Ganeshan to just Rekha. We don’t blame her!