Joy Behar Leaves ‘The View’ Fans Shocked By Whoopi Goldberg’s Legal Name

After knowing a person by a particular name for so long, it feels like they look like that particular string of syllables. The reverse is also true, with names summoning a specific face. So when Joy Behar mentioned Whoopi Goldberg’s legal name on The View, several viewers were completely shocked.

Using a stage name is not uncommon in the entertainment industry; dozens upon dozens of stars use stage names. Goldberg is just the same; her birth name is actually Caryn Elaine Johnson. Goldberg has said that her family is “Jewish, Buddhist, Baptist, and Catholic,” which is “part of my heritage, just like being black.” Though Goldberg’s last name was the subject of discussion after she discussed the Holocaust, it seems her government name is still unknown to many, proven by people’s shock when they learned it recently.

Joy Behar mentions Whoopi Goldberg’s legal name

In a recent episode of The View, Behar spoke with actor and academic Kal Penn. The subject of legal and stage names came up. The Indian-American star was born as Kalpen Suresh Modi. “I only [changed] it on my headshot and resume,” Penn revealed. “I never changed it legally.” Some people like Reese Witherspoon changed their names after stardom and others such as Bob Dylan used a different name for fear of discrimination. Penn further shared that he heard from friends that Goldberg was also using a stage name, though he did not believe this initially.

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“Caryn Johnson. Caryn Johnson,” Behar confirmed of Goldberg’s name. It’s also worth noting, Behar was originally born Josephine Victoria Occhiuto; the last name she uses comes from her marriage to Joe Behar, which lasted from 1965 to 1981. Joy had been a nickname given to her since birth and keeping her husband’s surname was “just what you did back in the day,” she shared. But what about Goldberg?

Where did Whoopi Goldberg’s name come from?

On Twitter, some fans of The View were stunned by the revelation Behar revealed about Goldberg, with one user saying, “whoopi goldberg real name us caryn johnson lmao i thought her real name was whoopi.” Another user, though, was proud to note, “I already knew Whoopi Goldberg’s real name.” Her name did receive attention when she discussed the Holocaust and said it was not about race, leading people to research her connection to Judaism, as Goldberg is a surname many Jewish individuals have in the U.S., Germany, and elsewhere.

It turns out Goldberg has a mixed heritage. She does not “subscribe” to the faiths of her ancestors, explaining, “I don’t believe in man-made religions,” but she insists, “I just know I am Jewish.” One story says her mother, Emma Johnson (née Harris) thought their last name was “not Jewish enough” for Goldberg to become a star. As for Whoopi, that is derived from a whoopee cushion and how gassy she got when unable to use the restroom during shows.

Did you know about Goldberg’s birth name before Behar mentioned it?

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