Many fans are surprised to learn that Tom Cruise’s real name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. The Hollywood star, known for doing his own stunts in Mission: Impossible, dropped his full name early in his career.
Born in 1962 to Thomas Mapother III and Mary Lee Pfeiffer, Cruise grew up in a strict Catholic household and faced poverty. At 18, he moved to New York to chase his acting dreams — and left his old name behind. He also wanted to distance himself from his father, whom he once described as a “bully” and a “merchant of chaos.”
In a 2006 interview, Cruise said, “He’d lull you in, make you feel safe, then bang! Don’t trust him.” His parents divorced when he was 12. Years later, Cruise visited his father on his deathbed and called it a sad moment.
Cruise isn’t the only star to change names. Meghan Markle, Shania Twain, and Tina Fey also adopted new names to better fit their public image — or to leave the past behind.
