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Marilyn Monroe ’s real name was Norma Jeane , but she eventually legally changed her name to “ Marilyn Monroe ” – and here ’s the story behind her name . The fifties realise the rise of many Hollywood stars who are now considered icons and fable in film chronicle , and one who has become a pop finish icon is Marilyn Monroe . Her life history in the entertainment patronage started in the late forties when she became a immobilise - up fashion model , during which Monroe started pursuing a career in acting , and in 1946 , she signed a six - calendar month contract with twentieth Century Fox .
Marilyn Monroe ’s act careerbegan with bit share in the moviesDangerous YearsandScudda Hoo ! Scudda Hay ! , but her contract bridge was n’t renewed at Fox . However , Monroe continued working towards a calling in playacting and her rising slope to fame start when she played small role in the comediesAs Young as You Feel , Love Nest , andLet ’s Make It Legalbefore her fully grown break in 1953 with the film noirNiagaraand the comediesGentlemen Prefer BlondeandHow to tie a Millionaire . Three old age by and by , she legally changed her name to “ Marilyn Monroe ” , putting a definitive conclusion to “ Norma Jeane ” and with that lead her troubled past behind , though her fresh name was still connect to it due to the inspiration behind it .
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The Inspirations Behind Marilyn Monroe’s Name
Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson , and during her modelling career in the 1940s , she now and again went by “ Jean Norman ” . After signing her first declaration with Fox , she and Fox executive Ben Lyon started front for a leg name for her . Lyon suggested “ Marilyn ” as her first name as she reminded him of Broadway whiz Marilyn Miller ( who also had a complicated and ultimately tragic life ) , while she suggested “ Monroe ” as her new last name as that was her mother ’s maiden name ( Marilyn ’s grandparents were Della Mae Monroe and Otis Elmer Monroe ) . Marilyn reportedly got many other name suggestions ( viaTime ) before finalize on “ Marilyn Monroe ” , and in a letter to a friend , dated October 1946 , she share that among the names considered were “ Clare Norman ” , “ Meredith ” , and “ Carol Lind ” . Four month before her wedding to Arthur Miller , in February 1956 , Marilyn lawfully changed her name to her level name , and Norma Jeane basically stop to exist .
Why Marilyn Monroe Changed Her Name
By the time Monroe met Lyon and her career switched from pin - up theoretical account to actress , she was marital to James Dougherty , so she went by “ Norma Jeane Dougherty ” . However , according to biographer Donald Spoto , Lyon thought there were too many orthoepy of the last name “ Dougherty ” , so the search for a degree name was necessary . However , there were other , more personal reasons for Monroe to look for a different name when her playing life history was about to begin . In her unfinished autobiography , My Story , write with Ben Hecht ( viaCheatSheet ) , Monroe shared she did n’t interrelate to the name “ Norma Jeane ” as she associated it with her troubled childhood and the spirit of abandonment and neglect that followed her through those years .
Monroe also hinted inMy Storythat she take in the name “ Norma Jeane ” as “ undesirable ” , “ timid ” , “ an orphanage hard worker ” , and “ a little servant girl ” , and so she eventually find the empowering identity she had been looking for in “ Marilyn Monroe ” . Monroe ’s name change has a much deeper and tragic substance and story than it seems , as she struggled with her troubled past and all her trauma during her whole life , and while changing her name to“Marilyn Monroe ” gave her some freedom , the residuum of her sidereal day proceed to be tragical in different ways .
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