Cher revealed that she had spent years unaware of her real name

Cher recounted how she realized this when she legally changed her name to "Cher" in 1979

Senior Writer

NOVEMBER 25, 2024 10:30 AM ESTNOV 25, 2024, 10:30 AM EST

Cher's recently released memoir, "Cher: The Memoir, Part One," has given fans an intimate glimpse into the iconic performer's life—and one of its revelations is as surprising as it is personal. The Grammy-winning artist shared how "shocked" she was to discover, years into her life, that the name on her birth certificate wasn't the one she believed to be hers.

A Surprising Discovery

In the memoir, released on November 19, 2024, Cher recounted how she realized this when she legally changed her name to "Cher" in 1979. At the time, she thought her given name was "Cherilyn," but her birth certificate revealed a different story—it listed her as "Cheryl." The revelation brought mixed emotions. Cher's late mother, Georgia Holt, explained the situation with an apology and an endearing dose of honesty. "I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain," Holt said, reflecting on her experience of giving birth to Cher in May 1946.

Singer/actress Cher and mom Georgia Holt pose as Cher is immortalized with hand and footprint ceremony at Grauman's Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2010 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Lana Turner's Influence

Cher explained that her mother, uncertain what to name her newborn daughter, turned to a beloved Hollywood star for inspiration. "My mother had no idea [what to name me], but the [nurse] insisted, so she replied, 'Well, Lana Turner's my favorite actress, and her little girl's called Cheryl. My mother's name is Lynda, so how about Cherilyn?'"

Despite the creative idea, Cher's name was officially registered as "Cheryl," a fact that had been hidden from her for decades.

The Birth of "Just Cher"

The discovery came when Cher legally simplified her name during a transformative period in her life. She also dropped the four surnames associated with her father, John Paul Sarkisian, stepfather Gilbert LaPiere, and ex-husbands Gregg Allman and Sonny Bono.

LONDON - 1966: (L-R) Sonny Bono (1935-1998), an American singer-songwriter, producer, actor, and politician and his then-wife Cher, an American singer, actress and television personality, who together were an American rock duo in the 1960s and 1970s. The couple started their career in the mid-1960s as R&B backing singers for record producer Phil Spector, in London, England, 1966. (Photo by Jeff Hochberg/Getty Images)

During a 1979 appearance on "The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson," she explained her decision: "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 … I mean, Cher is just fine. Just plain Cher."

Candid Confessions

Cher's memoir dives deep into her life, including the highs and lows of her relationships. She discusses the complicated dynamics with Sonny Bono and the rollercoaster romance with Gregg Allman and even reveals that actor Val Kilmer was the only one of her exes to break up with her.

During a discussion about the book with her friend and journalist Harry Smith, Cher responded to some fun questions, including the name of the man she would have liked to date in her lifetime. "Are there men in your life," said Smith, "was there ever a man, and this is not in the book — this is just for fun — a man that you said, 'Would've, could've, should've'?"

Cher at The Tonight Show

Cher's reply was fast. "Michael McDonald."

McDonald is a singer and songwriter with a long and successful career. He has worked with various bands, including Mike and the Majestics, Jerry Jay and the Sheratons, and The Doobie Brothers. In addition to his collaborations, he has also had a fruitful solo career, earning numerous awards, including several Grammy Awards during the 1970s and 1980s.