Cher has disclosed that she was 'shocked' to learn her actual name after finding out about a mix-up with her birth certificate at the hospital where she was born. In her latest memoir, 'Cher: The Memoir, Part One,' the 'Believe' hitmaker shared that she had believed her real name was Cherilyn for many years—until she decided to legally change her name to simply Cher.
The 'If I Could Turn Back Time' singer recounted that after her mother, Georgia Holt, gave birth to her in 1946, a nurse inquired about the chosen name for the baby. Holt, not having a name in mind, responded by combining elements from her favorite actress, Lana Turner, and her own mother's name, Lynda, to come up with Cherilyn.
Cher, who later changed her legal name to just Cher in the late 1970s, was surprised to find out she was officially registered as Cheryl. She questioned her mother about her real name, to which Holt replied, 'I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain. Give me a break.'
In 1979, Cher explained her decision to change her legal name to match her stage name on 'The Tonight Show' with Johnny Carson, stating, 'I like it. It’s better for me than having people wonder if they should call me Mrs. Allman or Mrs. Bono or Mrs. Bono Allman or Miss Cher or whatever. I mean, ‘Cher’ is just fine. Just plain ‘Cher.'
Cher also revealed during an appearance on SiriusXM’s 'The Howard Stern Show' that actor Val Kilmer was one of the few celebrities who had ever ended their relationship. She mentioned that she was deeply in love with Kilmer, who left her despite their age difference.
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