7 WWE Superstars whose career took off after changing their name
Not every WWE Superstar gets famous with their original name. While there was a period of time (like the Ruthless Aggression era) where a lot of wrestlers used their real names in WWE, that hasn't been the trend for most of the company's history.
Names can make a big difference in WWE, especially when it comes to fan perception. Sometimes, WWE Superstars aren't given a great name right off the bat, but as you will see in many cases on this list, a name change was accompanied by a drastic change in personality. It led to their WWE careers taking off in a big way, and it's hard to see them reaching the success they did had they not changed their names.
Here are seven WWE Superstars whose career took off after changing their names:
#7. The Rock - From golden boy to an all-time WWE great
At Survivor Series 1996, a young 24-year old Samoan made his in-ring debut for WWE. His name was Rocky Maivia, and the commentators instantly put him over as a future leader, including the likes of Vince McMahon and future WWE Hall of Famer Sunny.
In his in-ring debut for WWE, Rocky Maivia was the sole survivor of his team, even eliminating the likes of Goldust to make a big impact. He was cheered, and the rocket was strapped to his back from the get-go.
WWE faced a problem not even half a year into his run - one that would be compared to Roman Reigns in the future. Given that WWE booked Maivia as a white-meat babyface, there was nothing about his character that fans could get behind. The "Die, Rocky Die!" chants started flowing in, and soon after, he suffered an injury that kept him out for months.
The Rock himself revealed that Vince McMahon gave him two options - to be shoved down WWE fans' throat and continue to get rejected as a babyface, or turn heel, and give them a reason to hate him.
Rocky Maivia's return in the summer of 1997 saw him quietly change his name to "The Rock", and along with it, a change in personality, as he aligned with The Nation of Domination. He acknowledged the hatred that fans had thrown at him earlier that year, and his personality and character saw rapid progression.
It was only a matter of time before the WWE Superstar was the best on the microphone, and his charisma saw him stand side-by-side with 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin in becoming the face of WWE.
It was only 15 months after The Rock's heel turn that he won his first WWE Championship. Although his run on top was short, the change from Rocky Maivia to The Rock turned him from a Superstar into a megastar in WWE and eventually, the mainstream world of Hollywood.