What was Marilyn Monroe’s real name?

Netflix’s highly anticipated documentary, The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes, is coming out tomorrow! Even though the icon died almost 60 years ago, the name Marilyn Monroe is still known to this day.

The actress and model became one of the most popular sex symbols of the 1950s and early 1960s, and is an American icon. The upcoming Netflix film is centered around her life and untimely death. It is told by archival footage and over 600 tapes of interviews with people who were closest to the glamorous star.

Someone’s name is the most important. It defines who they are. And the name Marilyn Monroe became as iconic as the legendary celebrity herself. But did you know that wasn’t her given name?

Why did Marilyn Monroe change her name?

Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson. She was later given her mother’s name and baptized as Norma Jeane Baker.

According to Time, the actress decided to she needed a stage name when she was first starting out in the film industry. She did that with the help of studio executive Ben Lyon, who scouted her for 20th Century Fox.

The up and coming actress suggested “Monroe” as it was her grandmother’s last name on her mother’s side. Lyon suggested the name “Marilyn” because she reminded him of Broadway musical star Marilyn Miller. And so, Norma Jeane dyed her brown hair into her famous blonde locks and took on the iconic stage name that would be her identity for the rest of he career, and unfortunately, short-lived life.

Monroe also changed her name officially, but she didn’t do it right away. It took her a decade to do so. It was legally changed from Norma Jeane Baker to Marilyn Monroe in 1956.

The Mystery of Marilyn Monroe: The Unheard Tapes is set to be released on April 27, 2022.