Iconic music legend Cher revealed a surprising twist from her colorful life story in her recently published memoir, "Cher: The Memoir, Part One," which hit shelves on November 19, 2024. The 78-year-old singer, born Cherilyn Sarkisian, shared her astonishment during the process of changing her legal name to simply "Cher" when she discovered she had long been registered under the name Cheryl.
According to Cher, the shock came when she decided to finally make her name change official back in 1979. She recounted, "I believed Cherilyn was my name until the day years later when I decided to legally change my name to simply Cher." Her memoir details the moment of discovery, where she applied for her birth certificate and was taken aback to see the name listed.
This mix-up traces back to Cher's birth on May 20, 1946, when her mother, Georgia Holt, was just 19 years old. Cher shared how exhaustion from labor played its role, as Holt recounted when asked by a nurse what her baby’s name would be. "My mother had no idea, but the woman insisted so she replied, 'Well, Lana Turner is my favorite actress, and her little girl's called Cheryl. My mother's name is Lynda, so how about Cherilyn?'"
When Cher confronted her mother about this mix-up, asking, "Do you even know my real name, Mom?" Holt gave the reply, "I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain. Give me a break." This was the start of what would become Cher's decades-long career, yet the mix-up on her name was something she lived with until the late '70s.
After becoming inexorably linked to her stage name, Cher decided to legally shorten her first name to Cher and drop four surnames at the time: her father's surname Sarkisian, her stepfather Gilbert Hartmann LaPiere’s name, and the names of her two former husbands, Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman.
Reflecting on this chapter of her life, Cher's memoir reveals the quirky tale behind her universally recognized name. It's just one of many captivating anecdotes tucked inside the pages of "Cher: The Memoir, Part One," which chronicles her illustrious life and career—from her childhood struggles to her rise as one of the most enduring pop icons of all time.
Georgia Holt, who passed away at age 96 late last year, was not just Cher's mother but also served as her inspiration and role model throughout her life. Cher has often mentioned how she admired her mother's strength and resilience, both as an actress and musician. Their bond was complicated but rich, and Cher's memoir shows how pivotal those early experiences were to her identity and career.
Now, Cher's tale reminds readers of the often untold stories of names, heritage, and the lives we lead beneath the surface of fame and recognition. Not only does it highlight how Hollywood can shape identities, but it also speaks to the more human experiences of families and the sometimes chaotic beginnings of our stories. Cher's memoir is poised to give fans and new audiences alike insights not justinto her storied career, but also her candid thoughts on motherhood and her complex relationship with her own identity.
"Cher: The Memoir, Part One" is not just about music; it’s about family, confusion, and the quirks of identity. Cher's remarkable resilience, gleaned through years of glitz, glamour, and personal challenges, paints a vivid picture of the real woman behind the mononym. And here she stands today—a multifaceted icon who turned what could have been mundane details of legal documentation—like her name—into inspiring fodder for storytelling, drawing upon the humor and heart from her experiences.
