Let’s have some fun. Try matching the birth names of these Hollywood stars with their studio names. The answers are at the bottom of the page.

1. Marion Robert Morrison
2. Bernard Schwartz
3. Archibald Leach
4. Frances Gumm
5. Norma Jeanne Mortenson
6. Issur Danielovitch
7. Cherilyn Sarkisian
8. Charles Dennis Buchinsky
9. Nicolas Coppola
10. Dino Paul Crocetti

During the golden age of Hollywood, movie moguls often renamed budding stars with names the moguls felt had better box office appeal. Hey, who wouldn’t want to go to a movie starring Archie Leach? Yep, Cary Grant has a bit more star quality to it.

So what’s in a name? Why are names important? Names are important because they put a label on who we are and encapsulate our character, personality, and identity. Prince Rogers Nelson (“Prince”) tried changing his name to a symbol. It didn’t work. No one knew how to introduce him or refer to him. The best they could do was to call him “the artist formerly known as Prince.”

One of the principles we see in the Bible is people whose names are changed by another reflects a change in their character. For example Jacob (“supplanter, heel-grabber”) is changed by the Angel of the Lord (the pre-incarnate Christ) to Israel (“wrestler with God”) (Genesis 32:28). In another example, Jesus changes Simon’s name from Simon (“listener, hearer”) to Peter (“rock”). Peter’s confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God, would be the rock upon which Jesus would build His church (Matthew 16:18).

A second principle of names in the Bible is ownership. When a name is given or changed by another it signifies ownership by the one who gave it. Whatever Adam named any animal, that was its name. Adam was the king of Eden and owned it all. Every believer will get a new name, the name of our Owner, King Jesus. To have His name written on us is to be owned by Him.

When Jesus returns to fight the battle of Armageddon at the conclusion of the Great Tribulation, He will appear as the commanding general of His angelic army. He will be riding a white horse wearing a robe dipped in blood. He has a name written on His robe and His thigh, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” The King has come! Game over! Satan, the Beast, and the False Prophet are thrown into the Lake of Fire.

The Bible declares that “whoever will call upon the NAME of the Lord will be saved” (Romans 10:13). His name has power: power to save, power to deliver, power to heal, power to change. Do you know Him as your personal Savior? If not, call upon His Name right now and you will be saved!

There is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved(Acts 4:12),

Irv