Cher Shocked to Discover Her Real Name Isn't What She Thought After Birth Certificate Mix-up
For years, Cher believed her given name was Cherilyn. However, in her memoir, released on November 19, the legendary singer shared her shock upon discovering otherwise.
The revelation came when she decided to legally simplify her name to just "Cher."
In 'Cher: The Memoir, Part One,' the Grammy Award winner detailed how she grew up believing Cherilyn was her name. To her surprise, her birth certificate listed her as Cheryl. Reflecting on this moment, Cher admitted feeling "shocked" by the unexpected discovery.
Read more: 'Massively Overrated': Cher Opens Up About 'Loaning Out' Virginity at 14 and Kissing Warren Beatty
The mix-up traces back to Cher's mother, Georgia Holt, who was only a teenager when she gave birth to the future music icon in May 1946. Holt explained her predicament, saying, "I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain." Faced with the nurse's insistence to name her baby, Holt improvised. She combined the names of her favorite actress Lana Turner's daughter, Cheryl, and her own mother, Lynda, arriving at Cherilyn. Despite this creative effort, the official registration listed her daughter as Cheryl.
Cher recalled learning this truth years later when she dropped her four surnames — Sarkisian, LaPiere, Allman, and Bono — to officially become Cher in 1979. On 'The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson,' she explained her decision, saying, "It's better for me than having people wonder if they should call me Mrs. Allman or Mrs. Bono or Mrs. Bono Allman or Miss Cher or whatever." She concluded, "I like it. I mean, Cher is just fine. Just plain Cher."
Read more: Cher Reveals the Two Directors She Disliked Working With The Most, Admits She Got One of Them Fired
The memoir offers more than just revelations about her name. Cher delved into the highs and lows of her relationships, including her tumultuous marriage to Sonny Bono and her brief union with Gregg Allman. She also shared the unique distinction of Val Kilmer being the only partner to break up with her.
Additionally, Cher revealed her experience with virginity, describing it as "revenge sex." She recounted how, after being "ditched" by a boy following a kiss, she decided to "loan out [her] virginity to him." Reflecting on the encounter, she said, "When what turned out to be a massively overrated experience came to an end, I asked him, 'Is that it? Are we finished?' Then I told him to go home and never come back."
