The surprising real names of celebrities

Nicki Minaj — Onika Tanya Maraj

The Trinidadian-born rapper's name is a combination of her first and last names. According to Billboard, Minaj went by nicknames like "Cookie" and "Harajuku Barbie" early on in her career before landing on Minaj, a name she's not crazy about.

"Somebody changed my name. One of the first production deals I signed, the guy wanted my name to be Minaj and I fought him tooth and nail. But he convinced me," Minaj told the Guardian in 2012. "I've always hated it."

Similar to Rihanna, the singer prefers going by "whatever you were calling me four years ago."

"I don't like it when my family or close friends call me Nicki Minaj," she added. "To me I'm not Nicki Minaj when I'm with them."