Entertainment
Shia LaBeouf's Name Means "Thank God for Beef" & 8 Other Hilarious Celeb Name Translations
You've probably spent time looking up the literal translation of your own name at some point. (As an aside, my name means "Godly Lion of Achilles") However, have you ever taken the time to translate celebrity names? Take it from me, this is an endless source of entertainment.
You may already know that Shia LaBeouf's colorful moniker literally means "Thank God for Beef" in English, but do you know how funny Beyoncé's name really is? How about the subtle irony of Ariana Grande's namesake? I've taken the liberty of doing that research for you and creatively interpreting the names of these nine celebrities.
Justin Bieber — "fair beaver"
The significance of Justin is “fair” or “just,” and Bieber is an Ashkenazic derivation of “beaver.” Basically, the Biebs is the most law-abiding rodent in the dam.
Shia LeBoeuf — "thank God for beef"
In Hebrew, the name Shia means “Praise God” and LaBeouf means “beef.” So, with a little creative translation, his name means “thank God for beef.”
Kanye West — "western tribute"
The name Kanye is Nigerian in origin, meaning “honor” or “tribute.” West is derived from the Olde English topographical surname that indicates a family living ”west of a main settlement.” Thus, we can interpret Kanye’s full name to mean “West of honor” or “western tribute."
Taylor Swift — "Fast-working tailor"
Swifty’s name is about as literal as can be. Her first name means “tailor" — as in one who makes clothing — and last name means “fast.” Go to her for all of your last-minute alterations.
Ryan Gosling — "Baby king goose"
Gaelic in origin, the translation of Ryan is “Little King” or “Kingly” and Gosling means “young goose.” Put ‘em together, what do you have? A regal lil’ duckling.
Ashton Kutcher — "The coachman of ash tree town"
Ashton is yet another geographically referencing name, referring to an English place called “Ash Tree Town.” According to Ancestry.com, Kutcher is the Americanized version of the Ashkenazic “Kutscher,” meaning “coachman." Is it just me, or does his name sound like the title of a really boring play?
Ariana Grande — "Very tall holy one"
Ironically, the pint-sized pop star’s last name means “tall” and Ariana means “holy one.” So when you put it all together, you’ve got a little goddess of impressive stature.
Paul Rudd — "Humble one who blushes often"
Paul can mean anything from “humble” to “scarce” to “small” to “rare,” while Rudd refers more specifically to those of “ruddy” complexion. For our purposes, let’s combine these elements to mean “humble one who blushes often.” ‘Cause modesty is just another part of Paul Rudd’s endearing nature.
Beyoncé Knowles - "Beyond the other Dwellers of the knoll"
Welp, who’s surprised here? Beyoncé first name literally means “beyond others.” Aka, better than you. Her last name has two meanings. The Irish one is “valorous desire” and the Cornish means “dweller of the knoll.” I’m a fan of "beyond the other dwellers of the knoll.” Why? Because it allows me to picture Beyoncé as the queen of the shire.
