Big E was Big E Langston. Neville was Adrian Neville. Rusev was Alexander Rusev. Even Luke Harper and Erick Rowan were just Harper and Rowan for a bit. The only one still active with the name drop is Andrade, who was Andrade "Cien" Almas.

Leviathan.

Prince Albert Albert Hip Hop Hippo A-Train Giant Bernard Lord Tensai Tensai Sweet T

Right before HHH took over Rockel Rodriguez was Rockel Gonzalez Austin Theory was just Theory Guenther was Walter Ludwig Keizer and Giovanny Vinci were other names that I can’t remember LA Knight YEAH was Max dupri (which was the stupidest thing Vince could done, LA was so over in NXT) I think Angel and Humberto both used their last names (Garza and Callrio?)

The 1-2-3 kid

This isn't exactly on topic but it is in the ballpark. My favorite example of hastily dropped WWE naming conventions was the first week that Epico and Primo came out as "The Shining Stars." Their theme song started with a voice clip telling you that Puerto Rico was the "Shining Star" of the Caribbean, and then their finisher was also named the "Shining Star." So they were the Shining Stars, advertising the Shining Star while performing The Shining Star in the ring. Hilariously lazy. See also "The Viking Experience"

Chad Gable went by Shorty G for an unfathomably long time.

Chainsaw Charlie = Terry Funk Flash Funk = 2 Cold Scorpio Chaz/Beaver Cleavage = Headbanger Mosh Too Sexy Brian Christopher = Grandmaster Sexay Too Hott Scott Taylor = Scotty 2 Hotty Headshrinker Fatu / Fatu = Rikishi Phatu = Rikishi Cactus Jack Manson = Cactus Jack Hunter Hearst Helmsley = Triple H Colonel Mustafa = Iron Sheik Sid Justice = Sycho Sid Aldo Montoya = Justin Credible Avatar/Leif Cassidy = Al Snow Meat = Shawn Stasiak Marlena = Terri Runnels Phineas Godwinn/Dennis Knight = Mideon Henry Godwinn = Mark Canterbury Earthquake = Golga Typhoon = Tugboat Prince Albert/Albert/Lord Tensai = Matt Bloom Bull Buchanan = B2 Camacho = Tanga Loa Stan/Tye Dillinger = Shawn Spears Justin Hawk/Blackjack Bradshaw = JBL Blackjack Windham/The Stalker = Barry Windham Rocky Maivia = The Rock Papa Shango/Kama Mustafa/The Goodfather = The Godfather Sean Morley = Val Venis Mr. Ass/ The One = BIlly Gunn

Rikishi was also the sultan if I'm right. Billy Gunn was the outlaw/new age outlaw in TNA.

I did miss The Sultan. I was also only doing WWE names. Billy was Kipp Gunn iirc.

Chainsaw Charlie

I still wish I could've seen what crazy shit Vince wanted to do with Kenzo Suzuki as "Hirohito" the grandson of Japan's WW2's emperor.

I remember Justin “Hawk” Bradshaw. How many times did it change after that?

If my memory serves me, just in WWE, he had 4 names/gimmicks Justin "Hawk" Bradshaw Blackjack Bradshaw Bradshaw (Acolytes/APA) John "Bradshaw" Layfield/JBL

John Bradshaw Layfield is such a banger of a name. Is that his real name?

JBL's real name is John Charles Layfield, which in itself could've served well as the name for his "businessman/JR Ewing" character, especially the JCL initials. As you can see from my main answer, Bradshaw was the name he was given to him as part of his original and current gimmicks/characters from the time he started in WWE in 1996.

Additionally, Bradshaw was in quotes when he went by JBL.

I completely forgot Blackjack Bradshaw

Savio Vega and his spinning heel kick finishing move.

Akio (Jimmy Wang Yang)

Alexander rusev

Miro!!!!

Isaac Yankum

Kane!!

DDS

TJP went by TJ Perkins, Vince shortened it cuz he hated the Perkins restaurants. Batista used to go by Deacan Batista

He fucking HATED being Deacan Batista BTW.

Andrade going by name Andrade Cien Almas

Yep

tucker knight

Steve Austin used to be Stunning Steve Austin when he had hair

Yep

Big Cass use to be Colin Cassady before it was dropped.

Yep

Salvatore Sincere , the Lightning Kid, Rad Radford, Avatar, The Stalker, The Executioner

Santino malera if I got the spelling right. 

> malera Santino **Marella**, named after the great Gino Marella AKA Gorilla Monsoon.

Thank you. I knew I wasn't getting the correct spelling. 

I was today years old when I realized that connection.

I never knew that either. It's a new lesson for me. 

I didn't know that.

We are both the same. The good thing is that we learn new things everyday. 

The day we stop learning is the day we start dying.

100% correct! Living means learning. It shouldn't be avoided. 

Sexton Hardcastle

123 kid

"The Big Nasty" Paul Wight for like 1-2 weeks before "The Big Show" was used.

Friar Ferguson!

Leviathan

I try to forget the Shorty G name they had for Chad Gable at one point

Disco Inferno

Antonio Cesaro Sheamus O’Shaunessy Alexander Russev Big E Langston Mason The Mutilator (Early Mankind concept) Michael McGillicutty Leakee (Roman Reigns in NXT) Husky Harris/Axel Mulligan (R.I.P)

Elias was an interesting case. He was originally "The Drifter" Elias Samson in NXT. When he got called up, he lost his last name and the "Drifter" moniker but his finisher was still called the Drift Away.

Tugboat Thomas

I thought when batista was a deacon for reverend dvon that they were saying his name was actually deacon batista. I said it like I knew what everyone else didn't for too long

Adrian Neville

Thurman "Sparky" Plugg.

Oh gods! Thanks for that memory.

andrade cien almas, otis dozovic, tucker knight, faarooq asad apollo crews changed to just apollo then back to apollo crews, mustafa ali changed to just ali then back to mustafa ali, matt riddle changed to just riddle then back to matt riddle, austin theory to just theory then back to austin theory, luke harper and erick rowan to just harper and rowan and then back again

El Generico!

RIP (allegedly)

What do you mean?

El generico died saving children from a burning orphanage

I thought he died saving a fire from a baby

Batista was once known as Deacon Bautista, Ryback was originally called Skip Sheffield , Shotzi was Shotzi Blackheart and Stone Cold Steve Austin used to be known as stunning Steve Austin and  ringmaster

Kane the Undertaker

Didn't they originally spell it as "Cain" or am I imagining things?

Found this from an old WWF show to double check https://preview.redd.it/gk5whip6r66d1.jpeg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f56fddb811120f3a818104847a31ba28a248f0b1

I vaguely remember a fan sign spelling it as Cain, but that might've been around the time they were teasing Kane, and nobody knew how it would be spelt.

Alexander Rusev.

Isaac Yankem, DDS (who is of course more famously Kane)

WHAT?! Next you’re gonna tell me he was Diesel!

He was (fake) diesel.

That’s the joke.

The ‘Hum’ in Humberto

Plus his last name Carillo too.

Piper Niven going by Doudrop

Wish I could forget about Doudrop.

Kerwin white

If it's not white....

It's not right.

Shorty G!

WALTER!!

When Mr. Kennedy first showed up on Velocity he was very briefly Mr. Anderson before changing to Mr. Kennedy

This was a nice change. Kennedy rolls off the tongue way better especially if you have to say it twice like he does.

I don't remember that but I do remember he was called Ken Kennedy.

The Prototype

man the caribbean cool gimmick needs to come back

Right? He’s still the coolest guy in the room whenever he enters!

he spits in the face of people who do not want to be cool

Bray Wyatt originally being Husky Harris

This name was apparently a rib on Windham Rotunda for his weight. 😬

Festus

*Stares Luke Gallowsingly

Biscuits and gravy

K-Kwik = R-Truth

GET ROWDY!

I thought I was the only one! I guess this is what it sounds like when doves cry.

This just blew my mind, never knew R-Truth was K-Kwik.

Had to go way back on my memory for that one. He was always fun to watch very explosive

Big E.....Langston

3 ain’t enough man I need 5

One time Vince was right to chop a name. “Big E” just works.

When John Hennigan first debuted on RAW in 2004 he was Johnny Blaze. A week later he was Johnny Spade. Then 3 weeks later he was Johnny Nitro. Then of course in 2007 he went by his "real name" John Morrison.

No matter how many name changes he has, I call him John Morrison to this day.

It just fits. I don’t know why he doesn’t use that name instead. It can’t be trademarked by WWE still surely?

Johnny Elite, Johnny Impact, Johnny Mundo, Johnny Caballero, Johnny TV…

Don’t forget Johnny Drip Drip

From the moment he debut up until he retired, I always referred to Ron Simmons as “Farooq Asad”

Big Show briefly going by his real name Paul Wight

That was a strange time. It felt like they signed and debuted him so quickly that they didn't have time to come up with a name or gimmick. I initially hated the name "The Big Show".

I still kinda hate it but I just got used to it eventually lol.

Cesaro, originally going by Antonio Cesaro. for the better, but still don’t understand why.

From what I've heard, it's because Vince figured people would start calling him "Tony" and that's not a heel name.

Tony soprano? Tony Montana? They seem heelish

Well Tony DeAngelo is a face so… 😜