WHY DID NORMA JEANE CHOOSE THE NAME MARILYN MONROE?
Blonde is now on Netflix! Continue reading to find out why Marilyn Monroe changed her name!
Marilyn Monroe’s life and career are still being investigated decades after her death, as many details about this icon remain unknown. Everything you need to know about Marilyn Monroe’s mother’s death is right here.
She made a name for herself in the 1950s and 1960s, starring in films like Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Some Like It Hot, and The Seven-Year-Old Demon. It’s here if you want to know if Marilyn Monroe was blonde.
Marilyn had a string of high-profile love affairs that many people find fascinating; one of her alleged affairs was with former President John F. Kennedy.
One of the lesser-known facts about Marilyn Monroe is that her given name was not Marilyn Monroe. Why did Norma Jeane choose the name, Marilyn Monroe?
WHAT CAUSED MARILYN MONROE TO CHANGE HER NAME?
Norma Jeane Mortenson was born on June 1, 1926, and later christened Norma Jeane Baker, but the captivating model-turned-actress never used either name in the entertainment industry.
Despite the lack of support from her future ex-husband James Dougherty, she continued to use her married surname. Read this to find out how much of the film is based on true events.
So it was a problem with the latter that prompted the 20-year-old to adopt a new stage name just days before signing a contract with 20th Century Fox on August 24, 1946.
Ben Lyon, the studio manager, insisted on changing the name because “Dougherty” had too many possible pronunciations.
Fortunately, Norma Jeane not only recognized the gravity of the situation but also immediately suggested another surname, Monroe, as a tribute to the family’s maternal side.
According to the book, the duo settled on Jeane Monroe for a short time, but Norma Jeane wasn’t completely satisfied because she wanted to change everything and start over in front of the cameras.
She never met her biological father, was sexually abused as a child and faced bullying and objectification in high school because of her appearance.
Ben would have made the connection between Norma Jeane as well as Marilyn Miller, a talented Broadway star of the 1920s and 1930s with a troubled personal life. The explanation for the film’s ending can be found here.
Their similar passion, compassion, and determination to succeed on their own were just one more factor that enabled Norma Jeane to become Marilyn Monroe.
