Related Celebrities

What's in a name?

Author: Ronald Constantino
Column: HighSpeed

NAME RECALL - Shakespeare says, "A rose by any other name will smell just as sweet."

So what's in a name? In showbiz it counts a lot, name recall of paramount importance.

Rosanna Roces was briefly known as Ana Maceda - walang dating. Then Seiko producer Robbie Tan had the brilliant idea of changing it to, well, Rosanna Roces, a combination of Rosanna Ortiz (sex symbol and Asia's best supporting actress for "Patayin sa Sindak si Barbara") and Susan Roces, movie queen and first lady of Philippine cinema.

Offcam, Susan Roces is Jesusa Purificacion Levy Sonora. Her screen name comes from legendary beauty Susan Magalona, who she resembles, and the distinguished Roces clan.

Robbie, then identified with sexy flicks and now associated with prestige films, has a penchant for giving his contract stars prominent surnames. Think of Diana Zubiri, Rodel Velayo, Francine Prieto, Gardo Versoza (then Peter Nennen Torres), Leonardo Litton, Rita Avila, Priscilla Almeda (used to be Abby Viduya, her real name).

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NAME DROPPERS - Billy Crawford and Oyo Sotto are name droppers, deleting Joe and Boy from their monikers, respectively, in keeping with their adult images. Another name dropper is Luis Manzano, insisting that the nickname Lucky be forgotten.

The letter H was added to the names of Is(h)mael Bernal and Be(h)n Cervantes, then the vogue during their student days at UP.

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SHORTLISTED - Christopher de Leon is Boyet or Yetbo for short. Or Bro. Bo to his Oasis of Love Catholic charismatic community colleagues.

More short nicknames, said with affection:

Richard Gomez - Goma

Jericho Rosales - Echo

Lorna Tolentino - LT or Lata. As a child star, LT was briefly billed Giselle.

Jomari Yllana - Joms

Herbert Bautista - Bistek

Amy Austria - Esmie (from her real name Esmeralda Tuazon)

Beth Bautista - Bote

Diether Ocampo - Diet