Ian was talking about Maria Sharapova this morning - the tennis star wants to change her name to Sugarpova for the final grand slam of the year, the US Open. The Former No 1 has spent more than €350,000 setting up a premium line of sweets called Sugarpova. She has asked Florida's Supreme Court to push through her request on the understanding her name will revert back after the tournament.
Sharapova’s not the only sports star to go to such measures: snooker star Jimmy White changed his name to James Brown as part of a sponsorship deal.
It got us thinking about other strange name changes both on and off the sports field:
- NFl star Chad Johnson went through a long saga to become known as the number on his playing jersey, "Ochocinco" (85)
- Cassius Clay changed his name due to religious reasons – he became Muhammad Ali after his conversion to Islam
- Rapper Russell Tyrone Jones changed his name several times: he first became Ol' Dirty Bastard before he declared he wanted to be known as Big Baby Jesus
- Prince (born Prince Rogers Nelson) changed his name to an unpronounceable symbol for a few years before changing it back to Prince
- Hip-hop mogul Puff Daddy continually tweaks at his name. First it was Puff Daddy. Then it was P. Diddy. For now it's just Diddy
Would you change your name?
