Current WWE Stars Vince Would Never Let Use Their Real Name

There are so many important factors that combine to create a Superstar. It is crucial to pay the same attention towards all of them in order to check all the boxes. In WWE, the standard is for Superstars to be capable of putting on a good match while also having an entertaining character that makes fans invest in them. And what tends to attract fans ranges from attributes such as gimmick, theme song, ring skills, promos, attire and name. Some wrestlers don't give it much thought and just roll with their real name instead.

It does work in some cases, if your name is an accurate representation of your character, while also being catchy. Otherwise, fans would struggle to identify with you and won't have a reason to cheer or jeer. When it comes to ring names, WWE put a lot of thought into matters since they are basically creating a brand and the name must have the potential to maximize their profits as much as possible.

Sometimes it only takes minor changes for a Superstar to go from being lost in the shuffle to a main eventer, and we have seen it happen many times over the years. Those changes may include the introduction of a catchier name. There are currently some Superstars in the WWE who use their real name in the ring, but those are becoming less by the year as the company seems to be moving on towards having separate stage names. It would take plenty for the chairman to be convinced, which brings us to the 15 current WWE stars that Vince McMahon would never let use their real name:

16 Asuka: Kanako Urai

She was initially known as Kana prior to being introduced to the WWE Universe as Asuka. Since then, she has remained undefeated in WWE and looks on her way to become the SmackDown Women's Champion at WrestleMania. While her previous name Kana was fine, you just have to admit that Asuka has a better ring to it. Additionally, it adds mystique to the character and makes it even more interesting.

As for her full name Kanako Urai, we doubt that the team creative team would have even suggested that to Vince McMahon, knowing his preference to catchy names. WWE has done everything perfectly with Asuka thus far, and we hope that matters will stay on track as she continues to improve and adapt more to the company style. And based on how over she has gotten with her current character, we can all agree that WWE made the correct decision.

15 Mandy Rose: Amanda Saccomanno

Ok, Mandy Rose could probably convince Mr. McMahon to let her do anything she wants fairly easily. But one thing he probably would stay away from is letting her use her real name. While WWE has had some long Italian names in the past (think Bruno Sammartino), it is becoming more and more common for wrestlers to adopt easier and more approachable names. Also, WWE tends to like building their own characters and owning the names, so keeping the Mandy Rose monicker is a no-brainer for Vince. Especially since it can be assumed that Mandy Rose will definitely venture into acting/modelling and WWE would like their hands on that business.

14 Finn Balor: Fergal Devitt

Finn Balor sounds like it's too good to be true as a real name, so most readers have probably already guessed right. He has previously used several ring names, some of which were related to his real name in one way or another: Fergal Devitt. At some point, he dumped his first name in favour of Prince and ran away with it until coming to the WWE. Prince Devitt would have continued to work, but Vince McMahon loves adding his own touch to all characters, which included a first name trade off for Balor.

While the last name Devitt doesn't sound bad at all from a wrestling point of view, his first name Fergal is just terrible in every sense of the word. McMahon is more likely to have allowed him to run with a single name such as Devitt before he would have considered using his first name.

13 Dolph Ziggler: Nicholas Nemeth

Dolph Ziggler's journey to the WWE wasn't an easy one. Even today after having become a multiple time WWE Champion, Ziggler still struggles to find an identity that truly separates him from the rest. But at least he established himself after several attempts with the first one being a sidekick to Chavo Guerrero's failed character Kerwin White. He was once again brought in as a member of The Spirit Squad, which was set to fail from the first day.

Ziggler was able to survive and go on a solo career, but he would become known as Dolph Ziggler. A good choice given his past names, and that's not to mention his extremely bland real name: Nicholas Nemeth. There will never come a time at which Vince McMahon would approve such ring name, and it doesn't need any further explanation as the average wrestling fan can tell a good name from a terrible one.

12 Kofi Kingston: Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah

If he debuted today, it is very likely that WWE would have had him known as Kofi. But it is probably a bit too late to make the change now that he has been apart of the WWE for over 10 years - a remarkable feat that not many have accomplished. And although WWE did switch his character a number of time, they never tried to re-brand him from scratch as he always kept his name Kofi Kingston.

His real full name is Kofi Nahaje Sarkodie-Mensah, while he kept his first name - he did drop the rest. And it is for the better since it is too long of a name for a wrestler - at least going by the standards set by Vince McMahon. And fans would have struggled to memorize his last name so he would have likely been just referred to as Kofi by everyone.

11 Braun Strowman: Adam Scherr

It is quite difficult to come up with a good name for a monster in the wrestling industry. And while Vince McMahon does prefer having his Superstars roll with one name, he had a different feeling with The Monster Among Men. WWE continues to use Braun Strowman in full, and rotate between his first and last name on other occasions. Most would have guessed that it is a stage name as you will be disappointed to learn that his real name is very much less intimidating: Adam Scherr.

That name may have worked for a wrestler, but certainly not Strowman since most would imagine a completely different looking wrestler having that name. It seems like Vince McMahon knew what he was doing with Strowman as the man company has done everything so far with his booking. And it seems like he will be one of the top Superstars for a while.

10 Bray Wyatt: Windham Rotunda

Believe it or not, Bray Wyatt didn't have the very same character from day one. In fact, he has gone through different identities over the years, including his real name Windham Rotunda. Thankfully, he wised up just in time and dropped it as he continued to struggle for a while by using variations that include Rotunda. At some point, he gave up and rolled with Husky Harris - which was his stage name upon his debut with The Nexus.

Management didn't think he was ready for the main roster so they sent him back to development, where Bray Wyatt as a name and character was put together. For such an intriguing and unique gimmick, it was crucial to have a fitting name in order to make it work. And WWE had it right with their pick, which we can all agree is a million times better than his real name.

9 Charlotte: Ashley Fliehr

If you thought that Flair was the family's real name then you will be disappointed to learn that it isn't after all these years. While Fliehr does sound familiar to their stage name, it is still different and Vince McMahon wouldn't have allowed it. And it's been reported that McMahon has been keen on using Flair as part of Charlotte's ring name. She was initially going by Charlotte before adding her real name, which tells you that there is no chance Vince would have allowed her to go with a different name.

Some even had the idea of Charlotte taking on her own identity that is separate from her father's legacy, but that would have been impossible especially once the fans began woo'ing every single time. As for Ashley, it isn't nearly as unique of a name as Charlotte is for a WWE Superstar - and would have made it more difficult for fans to perceive Charlotte as a dominant force.

8 Rusev: Miroslav Barnyashev

When it comes to foreign heel gimmicks, WWE seems to stick to a formula. They like handing them ring names that represent their character and cultural background, while also making sure that it's catchy and easy for fans to pronounce. That is why the majority of them tend to have a stage name, and rarely do you see anybody use their real one. Rusev is the perfect name for a wrestler's ring name, and if you needed any further proof, it's the fact he got really over off "Rusev Day."

We all know how Vince McMahon thinks, and he probably immediately rejected using Miroslav Barnyashev. That was never going to sell any merchandise, and not to mention it would have been a really struggle for everyone to attempt pronouncing his last name. There is a trend in recent times of Superstars carrying only one name, so you can bet that Vince McMahon was the mastermind behind Rusev.

7 Dean Ambrose: Jonathan Good

Dean Ambrose: With a name like Jonathan Good, Dean Ambrose would have never even made it on the main roster. Thankfully, WWE creative was smart enough to realize that would have ruined his career before it even started. Not only is it so unappealing as a stage name, but it doesn't appear suitable for someone like Dean Ambrose at all. That ring names would have given him an entirely different image that would made him look soft.

And based on the character that he portrays, that is the last thing that anybody would want. And let's be honest, how many Jonathan's can you name in wrestling history? The name is outdated and unsuitable for an entertainment role. And as long as Vince McMahon is around to be running things, you can bet that he won't allow that to happen under his watch.

6 Samoa Joe: Nuufolau Seanoa

Some fans were shocked to learn that WWE signed Samoa Joe a few years ago since they had started to believe that it would never happen. And they were even more surprised to learn that WWE had allowed him to his stage name as it is since some others were forced to make the change. Based on two important factors, we can agree that WWE made the right choice. First of all, everyone recognizes him as Samoa Joe so it was too late for him to start over with a new identity.

And second, his real name would have been a terrible substitute, I mean how many fans would take a wrestler named Nuufolau Seanoa seriously? Not only would most struggle to even pronounce and spell his name, but he would have likely been stuck with a generic Samoan gimmick that WWE has previously done multiple times. Samoa Joe is clearly the best fit for him and Vince McMahon seems to agree with that notion.

5 Elias: Jeffrey Sciullo

In the past year, Elias has established himself as one of the top rising Superstars in the WWE. His gimmick has done him wonders on the main roster, and he is currently engaged in a rivalry against Braun Strowman. But just imagine how different his career would have been if he went by his real name of Jeffrey Sciullo. It doesn't sound fitting at all, and Elias was possibly the most suitable name for the character. Vince would have never approved of his real name since it sounds too generic.

Not to mention all the Jeffrey's in wrestling history have been changed to Jeff, while his last name doesn't suit the character at all. It's fair to say that WWE made the right choice by having Elias drop his real name, which may have backfired on him. And so far, they have done everything right with booking Elias.

4 Nia Jax: Savelina Fanene

There is a trend among female wrestlers that has most of them adapt a ring name different than their real name. Reasons may vary, but WWE values the importance of having a name capture the Superstar's identity. In the case of Nia Jax, she does have an intimidating and dominant character - and while her ring name may not be threatening, it is still catchy - that works much better than it would have with her real name Savelina Fanene.

That suggestion would have had anybody laughed off at a meeting with Vince McMahon, who is specifically picky about the name of his Superstars. Some have already criticized the WWE for giving Nia a poppy song for an entrance theme, so we can only imagine what fans would have had to say if she had a different name. Once again, WWE made the right call in the case of Nia Jax.

3 Sheamus: Stephen Farrelly

We can't emphasize enough how important it is to have a ring name that is relevant to your character. It can be impactful enough to change the course of a career, as we have seen many Superstars switch names until finding the ideal one. And when it comes to the character of Sheamus, it seems like WWE got it right from name to theme song and even attire.

On the other hand, his real name Stephen Farrelly would have confused everyone in the crowd since it sounds absolutely nothing like a wrestling name. It actually sounds more Italian than Irish unless you pay careful attention to the spelling. Vince McMahon realized that from the very beginning, and he would have never allowed him to even entertain the thought of going by his real name. We would guess that Sheamus would be on board since he does have a catchy and suitable ring name after all - so it serves its purpose.

2 Seth Rollins: Colby Lopez

Seth Rollins sounds like a real person's name, so you may be shocked to learn that it is just a stage name. His real name Colby Lopez is neither catchy nor threatening, it sounds more of a fake name than Seth Rollins does. And it's not exactly an original combination either, so it may have been too generic for a wrestling name. Rollins previously went under various names prior to his WWE stint, including Tyler Black which wasn't bad by any means but a notch bellow his current one.

Vince McMahon reportedly rejected the idea of having Rollins carry his Tyler Black name into the WWE, which is why the creative team went through multiple suggestions before eventually settling on Seth Rollins. WWE may not always have it right, but they certainly did this time and even the most hardcore fans of Tyler Black would agree today.

1 Roman Reigns: Leati Anoa'i

As of the past couple years, Roman Reigns has been the face of the WWE - a tough task that had been occupied by John Cena for a decade. Fans have had mixed feelings about Reigns' run thus far, but the company is doing its best to get the WWE Universe behind him. especially in his latest feud against Brock Lesnar.

If Reigns went by Leati Anoa'i, his ceiling may have been limited since his character would have been determined by his name - and we all know how WWE always ends up messing those opportunities up. Given how invested Vince McMahon has been into Roman Reigns since the beginning, it's safe to say that he had an entirely different vision for him that he was going to make happen by any means necessary. And while you may not like how he is booked, you can admit that WWE had it right with his name, attire and theme song.

NEXT: WWE Superstars In Desperate Need Of A Character Change