Maria Sharapova's name change brings back memories of other sportstars doing the same

6) Peter Janson/NGK Janson

According to Australian motorsport rules, drivers were only allowed to have their name on the sun visor strip on top of the windscreen. Peter Janson, one of the drivers, was approached by a spark plug manufacturing company, called NGK, who said that they wanted Janson to carry their name on his car.

So, when the organisers approached Janson and informed him that he would need to take down the “NGK Janson” printed on his windscreen, Janson promptly showed them the deed poll, a legal document used for changing names. Sure enough, Peter Janson had been officially changed to NGK Janson, and the organisers had no choice but to allow Janson to race. And thus, the sponsors and NGK Janson laughed their way to the bank!