True Celebrity Names (Born in the 1970s) Quiz

Answer: Dana Elaine Owens

Born March 18th, 1970 in Newark, New Jersey, Dana Elaine Owens (AKA Queen Latifah) is a successful rapper, singer, actress, comedienne, and model who has earned at least one Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe, along with a nomination for an Oscar, and she received a star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame in 2006.

In an interview on "Rachael", Latifah revealed that she chose her stage name from the meaning of the Arabic name Latifah, which is 'delicate' and 'very kind'. As for Queen, she said that she chose that because her mother raised her to believe that all women were queens and should be treated as such.

Answer: Robert James Ritchie

Born January 17th, 1971 in Romeo, Michigan, Robert James Ritchie (AKA Kid Rock) began his music career as a hip hop artist, before expanding to include rap, rock, country, and blues. He has enjoyed great success, selling over 25 million albums in the United States alone, and he has received multiple Grammy nominations.

He earned his stage name while working as a DJ in Michigan, when club-goers would say how much they enjoyed watching 'that white kid rock'.

Answer: Tara Leigh Patrick

Born April 20th, 1972 in Sharonville, Ohio, Tara Leigh Patrick (AKA Carmen Electra) is a model and actress who began her professional career as a dancer in 1990 before signing what would be a short recording contract as a singer. Beginning as an actress, work was slow, until she posed for "Playboy" in 1996 (for the first time), which vaulted her recognition and she began getting more high-profile acting roles (such as "Baywatch").

Carmen earned her stage name while she was with Prince's recording company. Prince called her personally to say that he wanted her to be her own artist and not just a backup singer, and he had a song for her called "Carmen on Top". Essentially, Prince chose her stage name for her, then convinced her to use it.

Answer: Andrew James Clutterbuck

Born September 14th, 1973 in London, England, Andrew James Clutterbuck (AKA Andrew Lincoln) began acting on the stage in school, but it was after he attended a summer National Youth Theatre in London that he decided to pursue acting as a career. He is perhaps best known for the role of Rick Grimes in "The Walking Dead", but prior to that he had already established a career on British television shows such as "This Life" and "Teachers".

Andrew chose Lincoln as his stage surname while in college at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, because he thought Clutterbuck sounded like a poor character in a Charles Dickens novel.

Answer: Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr.

Born November 2nd, 1974 in Austin, Texas, Cornell Iral Haynes, Jr. (AKA Nelly) is an established rap and hip hop artist who began his career with hip hop group St. Lunatics in 1993. In 1999 he signed with Universal Records and began a highly successful solo career, producing such number one hits as "Hot in Herre" and "Dilemma".

Nelly's name is simply a diminutive of his first name Cornell, turned nickname, then stage name.

Answer: Curtis James Jackson III

Born July 6th, 1975 in Queens, New York, Curtis James Jackson III (AKA 50 Cent) had a pretty rough youth, dealing in drugs and even being hit with nine bullets in a shooting in the year 2000. Thankfully, he was able to escape that rough start and start a successful rapping and acting career, as well as producing. In 2002, he was 'discovered' by Eminem, who signed him to Shady Records.

Jackson chose the name 50 Cent as a metaphor for change; being willing to provide for himself by any means. It was the street name of a Brooklyn robber from the 1980s, and Jackson felt that he was the same kind of man.

Answer: Lindsey Ann Ballato

Born May 21st, 1976 in Dunoon, Scotland, Lindsey Ann Ballato (AKA Lyn-Z) is a bass player and artist who began her musical career with the American electronic rock group Mindless Self Indulgence. She has also made a name for herself as an artist, presenting her own artwork at a gallery in 2010, her collection entitled "HUSH".

Her stage name is simply a homonym of her actual first name Lindsey.

Answer: Christopher Brian Bridges

Born September 11th, 1977 in Champaign, Illinois, Christopher Brian Bridges (AKA Ludacris) began rapping after moving to Atlanta at the age of nine. He worked as a DJ before releasing his first rap album in 1999. He won his first Grammy Award for "Yeah!" (2004) with Usher and Lil Jon. In 2001, he also went into acting, and is best known for his role as Tej Parker in the "Fast and Furious" movies.

When asked about his stage name in a Reddit AMA, Ludacris said, "My first name is Chris and if you look in the dictionary under the term ludicrous then it means 'crazy, wild, ridiculous' - which pretty much explains everything about me."

Answer: Katrina Laverne Taylor

Born December 3rd, 1978 in Miami, Florida, Katrina Laverne Taylor (AKA Trina) got her career start through rapper Trick Daddy when he chose her to be featured in his single release "Nann Nigga". Afterwards, her own skills brought her to further success, and in 2014 she made Billboard's list of the "31 Female Rappers Who Changed Hip-Hop".

Trina's stage name is simply a shortened version of her actual first name, Katrina.

Answer: Alecia Beth Moore

Born September 8th, 1979 in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Alecia Beth Moore (AKA Pink) is a singer, songwriter and actress who began her career as part of the girl group Choice before pursuing her own solo career. She has won multiple awards during her career, including a number of Grammies. In 2015, she received the BMI President's Award for "her outstanding achievement in songwriting and global impact on pop culture and the entertainment industry."

Pink had the nickname Pink before she became a career musician. Originally, it was a 'not nice' nickname that referred to Mr. Pink from the movie "Reservoir Dogs" (1992), because of how extreme she was at doing everything.