Many fans are just now discovering Tom Cruise’s real name—and the emotional reason he changed it.
The 63-year-old actor, known for his daring stunts and iconic roles, was actually born Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. Raised in a strict Catholic household by his parents, Thomas Cruise Mapother III and Mary Lee Pfeiffer, Cruise grew up in near poverty alongside his three sisters.
At 18, he left home to chase his acting dreams in New York City. As part of this new chapter, he dropped his full birth name in favor of the shorter, Hollywood-ready name we now know: Tom Cruise.
Fans were surprised by the revelation, with some joking about the “royal” or “complicated” sound of his birth name. Many admitted they had no idea and were shocked by the news.
Cruise reportedly made the name change to distance himself from his father, whom he described in a 2006 Parade interview as a “bully,” “coward,” and a “merchant of chaos.” He said his father would pretend to be caring, then lash out, which taught him to always be cautious.
His mother divorced his father when Cruise was 12. A decade later, he saw his father on his deathbed and reflected on how “sad” and “lonely” his father’s life had become.
Other celebrities have also changed their names. Meghan Markle was born Rachel Meghan Markle, Shania Twain was once Eilleen Regina Edwards, and Tina Fey was originally Elizabeth Stamatina Fey. Cruise’s cousin, actor William Mapother, kept the family name.
