World stunned to learn Jimi Hendrix was originally named Johnny.

By Our Entertainment Editor: Arthur Pint

The global music community was left stunned this week by the revelation that legendary psychedelic rock guitarist Jimi Hendrix was originally named Johnny Allen Hendrix. The discovery has prompted widespread disbelief, quiet nodding, and at least one academic conference hastily rebranded “Johnny 1967.”

According to newly re-circulated biographical records, Hendrix was born Johnny Allen Hendrix in 1942. In 1946, his parents changed his name to James Marshall Hendrix, honouring his father, James Allen, and his late brother, Leon Marshall. Historians have noted—without resisting the temptation—that this decision would later result in a near-mythical coincidence linking Hendrix to Marshall guitar amplifiers, the very equipment he would famously push to physical, spiritual, and electrical limits.

No Shocker

Experts confirm that while the name change had no causal effect on amplifier distortion, it has nonetheless unsettled fans. “People were prepared for a lot of things,” said one cultural commentator. “But Johnny Hendrix feels like learning Mozart was once called Dave.”

The revelation has reignited interest in the long tradition of famous figures quietly abandoning their given names for something more commercially resilient.

Other notable examples include:

Elton John, born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, a name widely regarded as incompatible with sequins.

Freddie Mercury, originally Farrokh Bulsara, before opting for something more arena-ready.

Bob Dylan, born Robert Zimmerman, who chose a name suggesting either poetry or a man who might borrow your lighter.

David Bowie, previously David Robert Jones, changed to avoid confusion with a Monkee.

Lady Gaga, born Stefani Germanotta, later streamlined for ease of chanting.

Bruno Mars, originally Peter Gene Hernandez, renamed for reasons involving showmanship and possibly astrology.

As for Hendrix, scholars agree that while history may now picture him as Johnny, the feedback-drenched legacy remains unchanged. Still, fans worldwide are adjusting to the idea that rock’s most electrifying icon may once have been asked, at least briefly, to “put the guitar down, Johnny.”