Editing Stage name (section)

==Union rules==
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| image1            = Katy Perry - Part Of Me Australian Premiere - June 2012 (3) (headshot).jpg
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| footer            = Singer [[Katy Perry]] ''(left)'', born Katheryn Hudson, uses her mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with actress [[Kate Hudson]] ''(right)''
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Guilds and associations that represent actors, such as the [[SAG-AFTRA]] (formed from a 2012 merger between the [[Screen Actors Guild]] and the [[American Federation of Television and Radio Artists]]) in the [[United States]] and [[Equity (British trade union)|Equity]] in the [[United Kingdom]], stipulate that no two members may have identical working names. An actor whose name has already been taken must choose a new name. SAG-AFTRA allows any new member to keep their legal name as their stage name, even if another member has the same stage name already, as long as they sign a waiver.<ref>{{cite web |date=October 20, 2021 |title=Can I check professional name availability? |url=https://servicesagaftra.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/240/kw/Name |website=SAG-AFTRA}}</ref>

Notable examples include: [[Nathan Lane]], whose birth name (Joseph Lane) was already in use; [[Stewart Granger]], born James Stewart; and [[Michael Keaton]], born Michael Douglas.  [[Diane Keaton]], whose birth name is Diane Hall, took her mother's maiden name as a stage name after learning that there was already a registered actress named Diane Hall in the [[Actors' Equity Association]]. ''[[Ugly Betty]]'' actress [[Vanessa Williams]] officially uses "Vanessa L. Williams" because of SAG guidelines, although the other actress with same first and last name ([[Vanessa E. Williams]]) is arguably less notable. Similarly, [[David Walliams]] changed one letter in his surname owing to there being another "David Williams". [[Terry O'Quinn]] of ''[[Lost (TV series)|Lost]]'' fame changed his surname from Quinn to O'Quinn as another registered actor already had the name Terrance Quinn. Long-time ''[[The Simpsons|Simpsons]]'' writer and ''[[Futurama]]'' executive producer [[David X. Cohen]] changed his middle initial from S to X because there was already a David S. Cohen registered with the Writers Guild of America. [[Julianne Moore]] was born Julie Anne Smith but found that all variations of that name were already used by other actors. Former American football player [[Thomas Jones (American football)|Thomas Q. Jones]] added his middle initial to his name when he began acting, as his name was already taken.<ref>{{Cite web|last=writernymagee|date=October 14, 2020|title=Thomas Q. Jones says 'acting became therapy' after NFL career|url=https://thegrio.com/2020/10/14/thomas-q-jones-says-acting-became-therapy/|access-date=August 20, 2021|website=TheGrio|language=en-US}}</ref>

The rumor that Michael Keaton changed his surname because of an attraction to actress [[Diane Keaton]] is incorrect;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/8157339/qa-batman-beetlejuice-star-michael-keaton-mister-rogers-fly-fishing-roles-turned-more.|title=Dinner With Daniel: Michael Keaton|first=Daniel|last=Kellison|date=July 13, 2012}}</ref> he chose Keaton because of an affinity for the [[physical comedy]] of [[Buster Keaton]].<ref>Keaton, Eleanor; Vance, Jeffrey (2001). Buster Keaton Remembered. Harry N. Abrams Inc. pp. 124. {{ISBN|9780810942271}}. Retrieved July 24, 2012.</ref>

A middle name may be adopted in preference to changing a name. American author [[James Finn Garner]], born James Edward Garner, adopted his mother's maiden name for a middle name after joining the SAG, to avoid confusion with [[James Garner]], and retained the name for his writing career. In some cases, attaching a [[suffix (name)|generational suffix]] is sufficient for guild rules; broadcaster [[David H. Lawrence XVII|David Lawrence]] is credited as David H. Lawrence XVII as a result of there being sixteen other David Lawrences in show business at the time he received his SAG card.

A person hoping to become successful as an [[entertainer]] who has a name identical to a name already familiar to the public (in any field of endeavor) may change their name in order to avoid having their name evoke the other person with the same name. Singer [[Katy Perry]], born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, released her [[Katy Hudson (album)|self-titled album]] under the name Katy Hudson, but later used her mother's maiden name to avoid confusion with actress [[Kate Hudson]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/blogs/sound-check/11-things-didn-t-know-katy-perry-203830714.html|title=11 things you didn't know about Katy Perry|website=Yahoo Entertainment|date=July 5, 2012 }}</ref>