MomSkoop
When famous women go through a divorce, one big decision they face is whether to keep their married last name or go back to their maiden name.
Many celebrities choose to keep the name they became famous with, even after the marriage ends.
This choice often makes sense for their careers, their brand, and their connection with fans.
Here are some well-known women who decided to stick with their married names long after signing the divorce papers.
1. Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon became a household name in Hollywood, but many fans don’t know that Sarandon wasn’t her birth name.
She was born Susan Abigail Tomalin and took the last name Sarandon when she married actor Chris Sarandon in 1967.
Even though their marriage ended in 1979, Susan chose to keep the name professionally and personally.
By that time, she had already built her acting career under that name and felt connected to it.
The name Sarandon became synonymous with her powerful performances in films like Thelma & Louise and Dead Man Walking.
Keeping it made sense for continuity in her career and public identity.
2. Demi Moore
Before becoming one of the biggest stars of the 1990s, Demi was born Demetria Gene Guynes.
Her stage name Moore came from her first husband, musician Freddy Moore, whom she married in 1980 when she was just 18 years old.
Their marriage lasted only five years, ending in 1985, but Demi kept the surname Moore as her career took off.
She went on to marry Bruce Willis and later Ashton Kutcher, but never changed her professional name.
Moore became the name fans recognized from blockbuster hits like Ghost and A Few Good Men, making it a smart branding decision to maintain consistency throughout her Hollywood journey.
3. Tina Turner
Born Anna Mae Bullock in Tennessee, this legendary performer adopted the stage name Tina Turner when she joined Ike Turner’s band in the late 1950s.
They married in 1962, and together they became a famous musical duo.
However, their relationship was marked by abuse, and Tina finally left Ike in 1976, divorcing him two years later.
Despite the painful memories associated with the name, she chose to keep Turner professionally.
By that point, Tina Turner had become a brand recognized worldwide.
She rebuilt her career as a solo artist and became the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll, proving the name belonged to her success, not her ex-husband.
4. Kris Jenner
Kris Jenner is known worldwide as the momager behind the Kardashian empire, but her famous last name came from her second marriage to Olympic athlete Caitlyn Jenner, formerly known as Bruce Jenner.
They married in 1991 and had two daughters together, Kendall and Kylie.
After their divorce in 2015, Kris continued using the Jenner name both personally and professionally.
Her first married name was Kardashian from her marriage to Robert Kardashian, but she had changed it when she remarried.
Keeping Jenner made sense since both her daughters carry that surname, and it had become part of her public identity through the family’s reality show empire.
5. Ivana Trump
Ivana Trump was born Ivana Zelníčková in Czechoslovakia and became Ivana Trump when she married real estate mogul Donald Trump in 1977.
Their high-profile marriage lasted until 1992, and their divorce was tabloid fodder for years.
Despite the messy split, Ivana chose to continue using the Trump name in her business ventures and public life.
She built her own empire as an author, fashion designer, and businesswoman under that recognizable surname.
The Trump name had become valuable in business circles, and Ivana leveraged it successfully for decades.
She remained Ivana Trump until her passing in 2022, having made the name her own through her accomplishments.
6. Faith Hill
Country music superstar Faith Hill was born Audrey Faith Perry in Mississippi.
Her stage name Hill actually came from her first marriage to music publishing executive Daniel Hill in 1988, when she was just starting her career.
That marriage ended in divorce in 1994, but Faith kept the surname Hill professionally as her music career exploded.
She later married fellow country star Tim McGraw in 1996, but never changed her stage name.
Faith Hill had become a recognized brand in country music by then, with hit songs climbing the charts.
Maintaining the name Hill helped preserve the identity her fans knew and loved throughout her decades-long career.
7. Joy Behar
Television personality Joy Behar was born Josephine Victoria Occhiuto in Brooklyn, New York.
She took the surname Behar when she married college professor Joe Behar in 1965, and they had one daughter together.
The couple divorced in 1981, but Joy continued using Behar as she built her comedy and television career.
The name became familiar to millions as she joined The View as one of the original co-hosts in 1997.
Joy later remarried her longtime boyfriend Steve Janowitz in 2011 but kept Behar professionally and personally.
The name had become inseparable from her public persona and successful career in entertainment and political commentary.
8. Melinda French Gates
Melinda French was a Microsoft executive when she married Bill Gates in 1994, becoming Melinda Gates to the world.
For 27 years, they were one of the most powerful couples in technology and philanthropy.
When they announced their divorce in 2021, many wondered if she would drop the Gates surname.
Instead, Melinda chose to use Melinda French Gates, incorporating both her maiden name and her married name.
This decision reflected her decades of philanthropic work through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where the Gates name carried significant recognition.
She’s continued her charitable efforts under this combined name, honoring both her identity and her legacy.
9. Camille Grammer
Camille Grammer became famous as a cast member on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, where viewers watched her navigate a painful divorce from actor Kelsey Grammer.
Born Camille Donatacci, she married Kelsey in 1997.
Their marriage ended in 2011 after Kelsey’s very public affair, but Camille retained the Grammer surname for years afterward.
It was the name she’d used throughout her time on reality television and in the public eye.
Even after remarrying attorney David C. Meyer in 2018, Camille continued to be known professionally as Camille Grammer.
The name had become her brand through the show and her connection to her two children with Kelsey.
10. Raquel Welch
Hollywood icon Raquel Welch, who passed away in 2023, was born Jo Raquel Tejada in Chicago.
Her famous surname Welch came from her first husband, James Welch, whom she married in 1959 when she was just 18 years old.
Though their marriage ended in 1964, Raquel kept the name Welch as she pursued acting and modeling.
It became the name that launched a thousand posters and made her an international sex symbol.
Raquel went on to marry three more times but never changed her professional name from Welch.
That name graced movie marquees for decades and became synonymous with beauty and Hollywood glamour throughout her legendary career.
11. Pat Benatar
Rock legend Pat Benatar was born Patricia Mae Andrzejewski in Brooklyn, and her stage name came from her first husband, Dennis Benatar, whom she married in her early twenties in 1972.
That marriage ended in divorce in 1979, right as her music career was taking off.
Her debut album came out in 1979, and she decided to keep performing under Pat Benatar.
The name became legendary in rock music with hits like “Hit Me With Your Best Shot” and “Love Is a Battlefield.”
She married guitarist Neil Giraldo in 1982, but Benatar remained her professional identity, cementing her place in rock history under that powerful name.
12. Suzanne Somers
Beloved actress and entrepreneur Suzanne Somers, who passed away in 2023, was born Suzanne Marie Mahoney.
She took the surname Somers from her first husband, Bruce Somers, whom she married in 1965 at age 19.
Their marriage ended in divorce in 1968, but Suzanne kept the name Somers as she pursued acting.
It became the name America knew when she played Chrissy Snow on the hit sitcom Three’s Company.
Suzanne later married Alan Hamel in 1977 and stayed married to him for over 45 years, but she never changed her professional name.
Somers had become her brand through television, books, and business ventures.
13. Cheryl Cole
British pop star Cheryl was born Cheryl Ann Tweedy in Newcastle, England.
She rose to fame as part of the girl group Girls Aloud and took the surname Cole when she married footballer Ashley Cole in 2006.
Their marriage became tabloid fodder in the UK, especially after Ashley’s infidelity scandals.
They divorced in 2010, but Cheryl continued using Cole professionally for several years afterward.
The name Cheryl Cole had become her brand as a solo artist and judge on The X Factor.
She later married and divorced Jean-Bernard Fernandez-Versini, and eventually returned to using just her first name “Cheryl” professionally, but Cole remained her recognized identity for years.
14. La La Anthony
Television personality and actress La La Anthony was born Alani Nicole Vázquez in Brooklyn.
She became La La Anthony when she married NBA star Carmelo Anthony in 2010, in a wedding that was televised on VH1.
Their relationship had ups and downs, and they filed for divorce in 2021 after years of separation.
Despite the split, La La has continued to use the Anthony surname both personally and professionally.
She shares a son with Carmelo, which is one reason for keeping the name.
Additionally, La La Anthony had become her established brand through her work as an actress, producer, and media personality, making it practical to maintain that recognizable identity.
15. Kimora Lee Simmons
Fashion mogul Kimora Lee Simmons was born Kimora Lee Perkins in St. Louis, Missouri.
She became a supermodel as a teenager and took the surname Simmons when she married hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons in 1998.
They divorced in 2009, but Kimora retained the Simmons name as she built her fashion empire with Baby Phat and other ventures.
The name had become synonymous with her brand and business success.
Kimora later married actor Djimon Hounsou and then banker Tim Leissner, but continued using Simmons professionally.
She shares two daughters with Russell who also carry the Simmons name, and it remains her powerful identity in the fashion world.