Where did the name “Marilyn Monroe” come from?
There are various stories as to how Marilyn got her name, and several people have claimed to have named her. The most common (and most likely true) version is that the name Marilyn was chosen by Fox talent scout Ben Lyon, who got Marilyn her first screen test. It is said to have come from stage actress Marilyn Miller. The last name Monroe was Marilyn’s mother’s maiden name. It was suggested either by her mother Gladys, her guardian Grace McKee Goddard, or by Marilyn herself, according to various versions of the story. Norma Jeane began using the name in 1946, but did not legally change it until 1956.
