What do Muhammad Ali, Marilyn Monroe, and Martin Luther King Jr. have in common? None of them were born with those names. Discover the real stories behind seven iconic identities.
You know their stage names—but what about the names they left behind?
From Muhammad Ali to Marilyn Monroe and Martin Luther King Jr., this episode of An Ounce uncovers the hidden identities behind seven legendary figures.
It’s a fast-paced guessing game filled with name changes, reinventions, and the unexpected reasons behind them.
Which reveal surprised you the most? Did you guess any right? Let us know in the comments.

other episodes in the series:
You Won’t Believe Who
These Names Belong To!
The “Name Change Series” from An Ounce
Released on or about:
(1) July 31, 2025:The Real Identities of
Famous Icons
(2) August 14, 2025:They Changed Their Names
-Then Changed Pop Culture
(3) August 28, 2025:Masters of Disguise - When
Changing Your Name Was
the Only Way to Escape
(4) September 4, 2025:The Reinvention Game
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If you could change your name… what would you choose?
👉 Like, subscribe, and share for more stories that outsmart the obvious.
🎥 Related episode: [You’ve Been Lied To! The Truth Behind History’s Biggest Myths]
#FamousNames #AnOuncePodcast #NameOrigins #CelebrityRealNames #HistoryRevealed
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⏱️ Chapters (Timestamps):
00:00 – Intro
00:48 – Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. (Muhammad Ali)
01:48 – Norma Mortenson (Marilyn Monroe)
03:01 – Reginald Dwight (Elton John)
04:18 – Marion Morrison (John Wayne)
05:14 – Archibald Leach (Cary Grant)
06:05 – Ferdinand Alcindor, Jr. (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar)
06:58 – Michael King, Jr. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)
07:54 – An Ounce
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📚 References:
• Muhammad Ali – Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Muhammad-Ali-boxer
• Marilyn Monroe – Biography.com: https://www.biography.com/actor/marilyn-monroe
• Elton John – Official Website: https://www.eltonjohn.com/
• John Wayne – IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000078/
• Cary Grant – TCM: https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/76170|27646/Cary-Grant#biography
• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar – NBA: https://www.nba.com/stats/player/76003/career
• Martin Luther King Jr. – Nobel Prize: https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/peace/1964/king/biographical/
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Additional Media Credits: Images though Wikimedia, iStock, and Getty. Music via YouTube Music Library (Posted by Joel Cummings)

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