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In WWE, a wrestler's name is more than just something the ring announcer shouts into a microphone as they walk down the aisle (or run, or skip, or whatever). What's in a name? Well, letters, obviously. It's also, more importantly, part of your branding - it's the name associated with your character, and vice versa. You want your name to create an image in a fan's mind, sight unseen. ("You," of course, being the hypothetical WWE wrestler in this scenario, obviously. Obviously, it's not that important if you're, say, an accountant or something.)
Getting saddled with a dumb name can be a major hurdle in achieving success in the wrestling world. Some wrestlers have been able to overcome this and either make the name work (think of how "The Undertaker" sounded back in 1991 before it was associated with the American Badass) or were able to shed it all together and create a new identity (remember when Bray Wyatt used to be named Husky Harris? Sorry to remind you if you forgot) - usually through sheer tyranny of will.
While some legendary stars have come close to having to make due with a stupid name ("Stone Cold" Steve Austin could have been called "Chilly McFreeze" at one point), others weren't as fortunate, but managed to shrug it off and save their careers (as well as their pride). Here are five of those WWE stars and the crummy names they rode in on.
#5 Former WWE Champion Rey Mysterio was once an insect and a lizard
For pretty much, say, 97% of his career, Rey Mysterio has always been just "Rey Mysterio," save for the years he had "Jr." tacked on to the end of it. The original Rey Mysterio was his uncle, and he bestowed upon him the use of the name after training him. But not right away.
Starting his career in 1989 (and 14 years old, to boot), Rey went by names such as "La Lagartija Verde" ("The Green Lizard") and "Colibri" ("Hummingbird"). Not exactly the most intimidating members of the animal kingdom, really. (Although "Colibri" is also the name of the world's first hummingbird-based side scrolling shooter video game, so there's that.) Eventually, as is custom in lucha libre, his uncle gave him permission to use the title "Rey Mysterio, Jr."
When he arrived in WWE in 2002, Rey would drop the "Jr." from his name during his time there. He had allegedly received permission from his uncle to do so, though I wasn't really able to verify it. WWE also had him return to wearing his trademark mask, which he had been coearced into removing while in WCW.
Compared to some of the other names on here, this one is a little tame. But that's why we put it at number five. This next one involves one of the biggest stars ever in WWE - The Rock - but possibly not for the name you're thinking of.
#4 WWE legend The Rock started out as Flex Kavana
While Dwayne Johnson's name is familiar not just to WWE fans, but just about everybody in the world and their pets - considering he's the biggest star (possibly literally) in movies these days - the actor will also be forever associated with his name in WWE, "The Rock."
Rightfully so, too, as even during his WWE days, he was the company's biggest crossover star ever (sorry Hulk and Cena, but it's true.) However, he wasn't always known by this particularly catchy moniker. In fact, at the beginning of his career, he had a name that was downright ridiculous.
No, I'm not talking about Rocky Miavia.
I'm talking about Flex Kavana.
It's common knowledge that Miavia made his WWE wrestling debut at Survivor Series 1996, becoming the "sole survivor" of his team in their traditional Series 5v5 elimination tag match. But, he didn't just go from training to WWE right away. He needed some seasoning first, and what better place to get some seasoning than Memphis?
Rock was sent to work in Jerry Lawler's United States Wrestling Association (USWA), and so Flex freakin' Kavana made his wrestling debut (technically he had some tryout matches under his real name, so apparently he's come full circle?). He even held the promotion's tag team championship with Bart Sawyer. He wasn't stuck with that name for long, however, as he would soon sign his WWF/WWE contract and change his name to the aforementioned Miavia.
Thankfully, that name didn't stick around long, either. Still, can you imagine Entertainment Weekly publishing a story about the latest blockbuster starring Dwayne "Flex Kavana" Johnson?
#3 WWE Hall of Famer Edge has actually gone by two stupid names.
Let's face it - "Edge" is simply a cool name for a cool WWE star. It doesn't roll off the tongue, it leaps off of it and punches you in the face. Not literally, that would be weird. Also, his name has nothing to do with the U2 guitarist, The Edge, but was actually inspired by an Albany, NY radio station.
However, Adam Copeland wouldn't become "Edge" until he arrived in WWE back in 1997. To get there, he had to travel a lot, work a ton of really small venues (we're talking small), and go through some name changes.
Before arriving in WWE, he had a very brief cup of coffee in WCW, wrestling a match against Meng on WCW Pro under the name Damian Striker (WCW, being WCW, listed the name on-screen as "Damon Striker" because of course they did). Granted, "Damian Striker" in of itself isn't that bad of a name - but he'll, unfortunately, forever be tainted with the name "Damon Striker" because someone in the WCW Pro production truck couldn't read.
That's nothing, though, compared to what Edge would choose to start his career with. That name... was Sexton Hardcastle. It's a name that would fit in perfectly in this particular gag from MST3K.
You know a name is dumb when even mid-90s WCW didn't want to use it.
Thankfully, Edge finally became, you know... Edge, and didn't have to go into the WWE Hall of Fame as Chunky McSporkbutt or whatever he went by.
#2 WWE Superstar Robert Roode was once "Total" Lee Awesome
These days, former WWE SmackDown Tag Team Champion Robert Roode is "Glorious." You can tell because it's in his theme song. It wasn't like that at the beginning of his career, however. Back then, he was merely "Awesome."
As in "Total" Lee Awesome.
Yep.
In 1998, the future TNA World Champion began his career in a match against one Pete Rock, under the name Lee Awesome. "Total" Lee Awesome. First Edge as Sexton Hardcastle and now Roode with this name... there must have been something in the water in Toronto in the late 90s or something.
Thankfully, the "Glorious One" would drop that handle shortly before getting some work as an enhancement talent for WWE (though he would spell his surname as "Rude" around this time), before eventually just going with his own, actual name. Then grew a mustache at one point.
It was clearly the right move but I dunno... "Total" Lee Awesome just kind of has a fun ring to it.
#1 WWE Hall of Famer Kane used to go by... just a bunch of lame stuff
Former WWE Champion and current mayor of Knox County, TN Glenn Jacobs, has portrayed the character of Kane - the Undertaker's once thought dead little brother - for pretty much the majority of his wrestling career. It's a name, and a character, that Jacobs was able to enhabit and make legendary - WWE Hall of Fame worthy, in fact. He also deadpanned one of my favorite jokes ever told in a promo:
(If you're confused, you probably weren't paying attention in 2011.)
Much like everyone else on this list, Kane began his sports entertainment career under some of the most groan inducing handles ever seen in the industry. Let's just... run down the list, shall we?
Beginning in 1992, Kane began his career in a St. Louis, MO promotion under the name Angus King. While that's not too bad of a name, everything else from here was pretty much downhill. He would go on to be called Doomsday (just like the villain in the big "Death of Superman" event DC Comics was running at the exact same time), Unibomb (presumably in reference to serial bomber Ted Kaszynski, commonly referred to as the "Unibomber"), and the Christmas Creature (which... look, just watch...)
Thankfully, he would soon find his way to WWE, where he would never have to deal with a stupid name and/or gimmick ever again.
Oh yeah, right.
Jacobs was introduced into the WWE as Dr. Issac Yankem, DDS - Jerry "The King" Lawler's personal dentist - in 1995. Now, as Britt Baker has proven, a "wrestling dentist" isn't an unrealistic idea. But considering Jacob's Yankem character really leaned into the whole "evil dentist" thing, and the pun of a name he was saddled with, it was a persona destined to go nowhere.
Finally, we get to his run as Diesel. Or should I say "Diesel"? While Kevin Nash had hightailed it out of WWE to WCW, WWE still owned the rights to the "Diesel" name. So, in their infinite wisdom, the company just decided to make Jacobs the same character and apparently thinking no one would really notice. So, it's not the name itself that's silly - just the circumstances behind it.
Fortunately for Mayor Glenn Jacobs, he was eventually given the role of Kane which, when you look back at the names and gimmicks he was forced to endure earlier, seems like The Ringmaster changing to Stone Cold.
And with that, we've come full circle. Know of any other stars who started their careers with a less than favorable name? Educate us all below in the comments section.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
