In her recently released memoir, “Cher: The Memoir, Part One,” the iconic performer Cher shares a surprising revelation about her name that dates back to her birth. As she recounts the story, she was astonished to learn that her official first name was listed as Cheryl on her birth certificate, rather than Cherilyn, which she had believed to be her name for years.
This discovery arose when Cher decided to legally change her name to simply Cher in 1979. In her memoir, she reflects on how the mix-up occurred when her mother, Georgia Holt, who was just 19 years old at the time of Cher’s birth in 1946, was too overwhelmed after labor to accurately name her daughter. A nurse prompted Holt for the baby’s name, and in a moment of uncertainty, she drew inspiration from her favorite actress, Lana Turner, leading to the name Cherilyn.
When Cher confronted her mother about this revelation, Holt, apologetically explained, “I was only a teenager, and I was in a lot of pain. Give me a break.”
Ultimately, Cher embraced her new mononymous identity when she legally adopted the name Cher, casting off the multiple surnames she carried from her family and marriages, including those of her father Sarkisian, her stepfather LaPiere, and her ex-husbands Sonny Bono and Gregg Allman.
“Cher: The Memoir, Part One” was released on November 19 and is currently available for readers.
This anecdote highlights not only Cher’s remarkable journey but also the universal theme of self-discovery, often leading to an empowered personal identity. Cher’s experiences remind us all that our true identities can sometimes be obscured by circumstances, but embracing who we truly are can lead to profound personal growth.