Madonna changes her name

[Billy Castillo]

This is...strange.

Talk about reinvention.

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Just a week after shedding her record label, Maverick, the artist formerly known as Madonna (news - web sites) has traded in one biblical name for another.

The pop chameleon has adopted the ancient Hebrew name of Esther.

The Kabbalah devotee, who's midway through her re-Invention Tour, shared the name change with ABC's 20/20 in an interview to be broadcast Monday.

Madonna says the name she shared with her mother, who died of cancer when she was just 5, gave off bad vibes.

"My mother died when she was very young, of cancer, and I wanted to attach myself to an other name," the 45-year-old tells ABC.

"This is in no way a negation of who my mother was. I wanted to attach myself to the energy of a different name."

Esther, circa a long time ago, became the queen of Persia who saved fellow Jews from persecution.

Madonna, circa 2004, is the queen of pop who regrets the bratty ways of her youth.

"I brought a lot of chaos to people's lives because of my selfish behavior," said the former Material Girl.

Now, she's trying to convince her two tykes, Lourdes,7, and Rocco, 3, to do as she says not as she once did, describing herself as "naughty child, number one."

"Even my children have to clean up their mess. Manners, thank you, please, take your dishes to the sink," said Madonna, adding, "I mean if it's traditional to be a decent human being, then I'm traditional."

Snicker, if you will, at Madonna's maturity leap, just don't question her devotion to Judaism's trendy offshoot, Kabbalah.

"I'm a little bit irritated that people think that it's like some celebrity bandwagon that I've jumped on, or that, say, somebody like Demi [Moore] has jumped on," she says. "We don't take it lightly.

"Paris Hilton did come to the Kabbalah Centre once, because her parents brought her...and they wanted to help her and they were desperate and they brought her there and she had a meeting and she left and she never came back and suddenly, Paris Hilton studies Kabbalah. I mean that's what happens and people...they don't know the whole story."

Indeed, the spiritually minded superstar is getting ready to publish her next Kabbalah-flavored kiddie book, Yakov and the Seven Thieves, due in stores next week.

Esther?!

Edited June 18, 2004 by Billy Castillo

[Mishmow]

Eh...She re-invents herself all the time. I don't think this will be any different.

[Billy Castillo]

Umm...I thought Madonna had *three* kids. Or maybe I'm thinking of Michael Jackson, who actually would make a better Esther...

[Ananas]

To quote Futurama: "Esther, you ugly!". It fits, because the Esther in question is Madonna.

[Media 2.0]

Ummm...stupid.

I would guess it will just lead to publicity for a short while, and basically is a publicity stunt :/...but eh..that's just stupid.

[Your Mom]

People change their name all the time. Why is this so stupid?

[Billy Castillo]

It's stupid if this is a career move. Look at what happened to Prince. :/

[MalaCloudy Black]

People change their name all the time. Why is this so stupid?

←

Yeah, but do people change their names to Esther in a weak attempt at publicity all the time? That's the real question here.

[Your Mom]

It's stupid if this is a career move. Look at what happened to Prince. :/

←

I totally agree with you there. But if she just really didnt want that name anymore I dont see the harm. Esther is cool with me

[Quom]

Madonna has a granny name doo-dah. Of all the names she could have chosen she picked Esther. What is she mad?

[GRIFT]

Isn't it sad when celebrities loose grip of reality as they age and their careers sour?

[Boulder]

White celebrities mooching off my group to be trendy? Today, I truly know what it feels like to be a minority.

[B-Rad]

Whoa, whoa, whoa! Madonna lost her part of the Maverick label? Shifty's release is still going to come out, right? Oh God, don't deprive me of my SHIFTY!!

Ahem, Madonna is over the hill, tho I did like that one song, "Frozen". That song kicked ass.

[GhostMachine]

It's stupid if this is a career move. Look at what happened to Prince. :/

←

Yes, but Prince changed his name to an unnamed symbol. Now, if he changed his name to Clyde or Henry, he would've been money. :thumbs-up:

[Lowerdeck]

I just always assumed Madonna was a partial or stage name.

Now I'm just lost.

[apsham]

Madonna has a granny name doo-dah. Of all the names she could have chosen she picked Esther. What is she mad?

←

Madonna IS a granny.

[Farmer Reil]

Now I'm going to get her confused with Esther Ranzen. Grrr.

They both suck anyway.

[Media 2.0]

That means from now on...it's the

OMG!@!#12#F It's the Britney/Esther kiss1@!

[Guest Small Blue]

*changes name via Deed Poll to Madonna*

Yeah. Changing back for her would be unoriginal now, and in the World of Music, would be uncool. But Esther won't really work for her.

[Billy Castillo]

I just always assumed Madonna was a partial or stage name.

Now I'm just lost.

←

Nope. Her birthname is Madonna Veronica Louise Ciccone.