5 WWE superstars who changed their names and became legends

Names aren't necessarily everything in pro wrestling, but they certainly do mean a lot when it comes to a marketing standpoint. 2019 in WWE, for example, has been rather bizarre when it came to changing names.

Three such ridiculous examples are Andrade 'Cien' Almas just becoming Andrade, Mustafa Ali just becoming Ali and The War Raiders becoming The Viking Experience and then The Viking Raiders.

However, it's not always been bad with regards to name changes. While this list does definitely include massive changes in personality as well, there's zero doubt that changing their names did wonders in terms of pushing them and marketability.

In this list, we're going to take a look at five very special legends of the industry who weren't necessarily destined for greatness, but they certainly rose to the top in incredible fashion. Without further do, let's look at five superstars whose name change led to them becoming legends.

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#5 Triple H

Triple H is a 14-time World Champion

Triple H, The Game. One of the most iconic figures in pro wrestling history. A 14-time World Champion, two-time Royal Rumble winner and someone who has accomplished everything there is to in the business.

Now poised for an eventual takeover of Vince McMahon's throne, things weren't always like that with HHH - or Hunter Hearst Helmsley. Even during his WCW days, he underwent some ridiculous name changes such as "Terra Ryzin" and "Terror Rising" and more.

Even when he came to WWE, he first made his name as Hunter Hearst Helmsley - the Connecticut Blueblood. Thankfully, he revealed his degenerate self and joined forces with Shawn Michaels, becoming Triple H. Post Michaels' first retirement, Triple H rose to the occasion and became a staple of the Attitude Era, never looking back and creating the ultimate legacy for himself and WWE.

#4 John Cena

No superstar had the longevity on top as John Cena did

John Cena, in the minds of many, is the greatest of all time. While he may have been a polarizing figure throughout his run on top, each year that passes sees the argument for Cena grow stronger.

Now that his role in WWE has drastically reduced and he's eventually going to transition out, fans have been very appreciative of the 16-time World Champion, realizing that his run on top was no small feat. There was never a face of WWE who was on top for a decade the way Cena was.

But he, too, was never destined for it. In WWE developmental, he went by the name "Prototype", playing a half-human, half-robot character. Thankfully, better senses prevailed and he debuted as John Cena, confronting Kurt Angle on his first night with a dose of ruthless aggression.

Cena would work harder than anybody and go on to have a legendary career.

#3 Hulk Hogan

Hulk Hogan was the star attraction of WWF for years

Hulk Hogan's career trajectory was certainly an interesting one. We may know him as the WWE icon who defined an entire era of wrestling, but it had taken him quite the road to get there.

This situation is a bit different from before, because Hulk Hogan did actually have a run with WWF between 1979-1980. However, this period was drastically different because he was a heel at the time.

After a two-year stint with AWA that saw him become a major babyface, Vince K. McMahon, who had taken control by that point, chose Hogan to be the face of the company. Hogan was known as "Terry Boulder" before he returned to the Hulk Hogan persona. It's hard to argue against it because the Hogan name not only became associated with the rise of WWF and wrestling as a whole, but he became a pop culture icon.

#2 The Rock

Rocky Maivia got off to a rocky start

The Rock is the one exception on this list, in that he was always destined for greatness and he was always going to be pushed to the moon. The son of former WWF superstar Rocky Johnson, Vince McMahon had an eye for talent and handpicked the young Dwayne Johnson to be the next major star of the company.

Having a big history and major respect for The Rock's side of the Samoan family, McMahon saw a star in Johnson and started off his career in a big way, giving him a push on his debut at Survivor Series 1996, where he debuted as "Rocky Maivia" - a combination between his father Rocky Johnson and grandfather "High Chief" Peter Maivia.

While he was always going to get pushed, his initial persona saw a lack of personality and the fact that he looked absolutely ridiculous. The crowd took no time to turn on him and McMahon wisely turned him heel and changed his name to "The Rock".

It allowed him to go on to become one of the biggest icons of the industry, where he became one of the four faces of the company.

#1 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin

Steve Austin may be the most popular star in WWE history

Steve Austin didn't have much luck in WCW and when he came to WWF, he was known as "The Ringmaster" Steve Austin, the hand-picked Million Dollar Champion. While he had a decent run with that persona, his real potential was nowhere close to being fulfilled.

In early 1996, he would shave his head, keep a goatee and changed his name to "Stone Cold" Steve Austin. His rise to the top would be an organic two-year affair, where his real a**-kicking persona got to shine.

In an era where WWE was transitioning into more adult-oriented content, Stone Cold Steve Austin represented the perfect foil for the antagonist that was Mr McMahon. Austin would be the main star of the company by the time the Attitude Era ushered in and at the time, there was nobody bigger than him and there was nobody that got bigger reactions than he did.

His role in wrestling was a vital one and he too, became an icon of the industry. Before that, he had to go through the "Stunning" and "Ringmaster" names, neither which favoured him.