With some German celebrities it is quite obvious that they do not appear in public with their real names – for example with comedian Elton or Campino, the singer of Toten Hosen. For others, on the other hand, this is not immediately obvious. But even stars like Andrea Berg, Thomas Anders or Uschi Glas have different names.
They all have adopted a stage name for their careers. Especially in the entertainment business, many of them expect more success: a stage name should convey a certain image, be memorable and easily understandable internationally. It is usually difficult to determine whether it really helps in reality, but some artists expect a lot from it – or are pushed by their managers to do so.
Uschi Glas, Andrea Berg, Campino & Co: Stars can have stage names protected
In our photo series, we show German celebrities such as Andrea Berg, Campino, Bushido, Farin Urlaub and Nena, who use stage names in public, explain how they came about and what the stars’ real names are. Some have borrowed from their ancestors, some have become famous under nicknames from their childhood and youth, others simply chose a shortening of their actual name.
However, most of them still bear their real names on their ID cards. Theoretically, however, it is possible to have the artist’s name written in the passport. To do this, you have to prove to the registration office that you work as an artist or freelancer under the name and that you have a certain degree of recognition. This can be done with newspaper articles, for example. However, most artists have their names (often in different variations) protected as a trademark at the German Patent and Trademark Office in order to avoid misuse or duplication.
Incidentally, stage names are even more common in Hollywood than in Germany. In our photo series you can see which stars are actually called completely different.
Hollywood stars often seem to be anchored in the USA through and through. But quite a few have German roots – and some can even speak German quite well.
Source: Stern
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
