Did you know Miley Cyrus was born as Destiny Ray Hope? Here's how her smiling face changed her name
Miley Cyrus today is a household name. The singer and actress, who began her career on Disney's 'Hannah Montana' at a young age, was born Destiny Ray Cyrus. When she started out in the popular role in 2006, the world was introduced to a young Miley Cyrus as Disney Channel’s pop princess Hannah Montana, which became her breakout role at the age of 11. The show was instantly a phenomenon ranking among the highest-rated series on basic cable. Soon, her popularity grew manifold quickly making her a major sought after talent and one of the top teen stars of the mid-2000s. But, few know that Miley Cyrus is not the actress’s real name. As it turns out, the singer-actress is actually named Destiny Hope Cyrus.
Even before Cyrus was born, her parents believed she would achieve great things throughout her life and her birth name, Destiny Hope, expressed that belief. At a young age, her parents gave her the nickname Smiley, which they later shortened to Miley because she often smiled a lot as a young child. Once Cyrus started getting into acting, she decided to use her childhood nickname and began going by Miley Cyrus at the start of her career. Named Smiley by all her family, the 26-year-old also referred to herself as Miley. Her middle name Ray was inspired by her grandad. And then it was in 2008 when Miley legally changed her name leaving everyone to forget all about Destiny Hope. Miley then shot to fame after appearing on Disney’s 'Hannah Montana' as Miley Stewart, a normal teenager living a double life as a world-famous pop star. Since she was only going by her stage name when it came to acting, Miley Cyrus legally changed her name in 2008 and was no longer going by Destiny Hope.
She recently took on a new last name after going 10 years as Miley Cyrus. The 'Nothing Breaks Like A Heart' singer recently changed her name again back in December 2018. Miley and her on-and-off-again boyfriend Liam Hemsworth, who's now her ex-husband, surprised everyone after revealing they tied the knot during a private ceremony in Nashville. A few short months after their unexpected wedding, Hemsworth revealed on 'Live with Kelly and Ryan' that Cyrus surprised him by changing her last name to his. "I honestly think that was one of the best things about it. I didn’t ask her to take my name. And when I asked her, she said, 'No, of course, I’m taking your name.'" She went by Miley Ray Hemsworth while making it clear that she will still go by Miley Cyrus in her music career.
Miley will release her seventh studio album 'Plastic Hearts' on November 27 via RCA Records. It is her first full-length album since 2017's 'Younger Now' and her first body of work since 2019's 'She Is Coming'. The album was originally titled 'She Is Miley Cyrus' and was planned to be released in 2019 but her divorce from Hemsworth, vocal cord surgery and the Covid-19 pandemic posed significant delays. It features production by Louis Bell, the Monsters & Strangerz, Happy Perez, Mark Ronson, Andrew Watt, and Andrew Wyatt. Guest vocals are provided by Billy Idol, Joan Jett, Dua Lipa, and Stevie Nicks.