25 celebrities whose real names will surprise you

LOS ANGELES, CA – JANUARY 21: Actor Winona Ryder attends the 24th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards at The Shrine Auditorium on January 21, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. 27522_011 (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Turner)

Winona Ryder (Winona Laura Horowitz)

Winona Ryder is known for memorable roles in films like Beetlejuice and Edward Scissorhands. More recently, it’s the Netflix original show Stranger Things, where she plays everyone’s favorite mom who won’t give up on either of her sons, Joyce Byers. But did you know the actress who plays Joyce has changed her name, too?

She was born Winona Horowitz in Winona, Minnesota — yup, Winona from Winona! — to a Jewish family. It doesn’t appear like Winona changed her surname for any specific reason, either, instead getting her stage surname by nothing more than a coincidence and a fateful question.

When asked what she wanted her name to appear as in the credits for her first role, Winona said “Winona Ryder” because of the Mitch Ryder song playing in the background thanks to her dad. Easy as that!

It’s stuck ever since.