Notable Name Changes

Rosalynn Carter

Formerly: Rosalyn Carter

Presently: Rosalynn Carter

Roald Dahl

Formerly: Ronald Dahl

Presently: Roald Dahl

Rupert Friend

Formerly: Rupert Fiend

Presently: Rupert Friend

Michael Stuhlbarg

Formerly: Michael Stuhlberg

Presently: Michael Stuhlbarg

Jantsen

Formerly: Jansten

Presently: Jantsen

Lex Fridman

Formerly: Lex Friedman

Presently: Lex Fridman

Josh Dun

Formerly: Josh Dunn

Presently: Josh Dun

Emmanuelle Chriqui

Formerly: Emmanuelle Chiriqui

Presently: Emmanuelle Chriqui

Curtis Sliwa

Formerly: Curtis Silwa

Presently: Curtis Sliwa

Danielle Fishel

Formerly: Danielle Fischer

Presently: Danielle Fishel


Food/Business

Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

Formerly: Ruth Christie’s Steakhouse OR Ruis Criss Steakhouse OR Ruth Chris Steakhouse

Presently: Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse

EPCOT

Formerly: Figment’s tail has one prong

Presently: Figment’s tail has two prongs

M&Ms

Formerly: “Melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

Presently: “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand.”

Amazon

Formerly: The arrow in the Amazon logo stretches from A to N.

Presently: The arrow in the Amazon logo stretches from A to Z.

Bear Stearns

Formerly: The Bear Sterns Companies, Inc

Presently: The Bear Stearns Companies, Inc

Creamsicle twin pops

Formerly: Creamsicle twin pops were sold in the 1980s.

Presently: No evidence Creamsicle twin pops were sold in the 1980s.

Candy Corn

Formerly: Candy Corn has an orange base, white middle, and yellow tip.

Presently: Candy Corn has a yellow base, orange middle, and white tip.


Movies & TV

Watchmen (2019 series)

Formerly: Robert Redford cameos as himself as President of the US.

Presently: Robert Redford is mentioned in the series but does not appear.

Welcome to Mooseport

Formerly: When Gene Hackman’s President Cole is called “Mr. Mayor” for the first time, he remarks that it feels like a demotion.

Presently: When Gene Hackman’s President Cole is called “Mr. Mayor” for the first time, he makes a face but doesn’t comment on it.

Freaky Friday

Formerly:Don’t want to grow up, just want to get out

Presently: “Don’t want to grow up. I want to get out”

Gladiator II

Formerly: Gladiators

Presently: Gladiator II

Se7en

Formerly: “So I took a souvenir. Her pretty little head.”

Presently: “So I took a souvenir. Her pretty head.”

Casino Royale

Formerly: Le Chiffe

Presently: Le Chiffre

Prometheus

Formerly: Alien: Prometheus

Presently: Prometheus

A Sound of Thunder (2005)

Formerly: The blue humanoid is underwater and facing away from the camera.

Presently: The blue humanoid is above ground and stares directly at the camera.

The Mandalorian

Formerly: Djin Djarin

Presently: Din Djarin

Happy Gilmore

Formerly: The scene where Happy Gilmore throws Ben Stiller’s abusive orderly out the window is included in the theatrical cut.

Presently: The scene where Happy Gilmore throws Ben Stiller’s abusive orderly out the window is a deleted scene that was included in some TV edits of the film.

Wreck-It Ralph

Formerly: Penelope Von Schweetz

Presently: Vanellope Von Schweetz

The New Batman Adventures

Formerly: The New Adventures of Batman and Robin

Presently: The New Batman Adventures

The Cannonball Run

Formerly: Cannonball Run

Presently: The Cannonball Run

White Men Can’t Jump

Formerly: Directed by Spike Lee

Presently: Directed by Ron Shelton

Ghost (1990)

Formerly: There is a scene where Patrick Swayze does pottery with his wife when he’s a ghost.

Presently: The pottery scene happens earlier in the movie, while he is still alive.

Hey Arnold!

Formerly: Takes place in a fictionalized Brooklyn, New York.

Presently: Takes place in the fictional city of Hillwood, Washington.

Carlito’s Way

Formerly: Al Pacino says “I’m reloaded!” in Scarface.

Presently: Al Pacino says “I’m reloaded!” in Carlito’s Way.

The Parent Trap

Formerly: Lemon slice used behind Annie’s ear in ear piercing scene.

Presently: Apple slice used behind Annie’s ear in ear piercing scene.

Family Guy

Formerly: Stewie says “effin’ cry” or “death and crime” in the opening theme.

Presently: Stewie says “laugh and cry” in the opening theme.

Happy Days

Formerly: The Fonz wears a black leather jacket

Presently: The Fonz wears a brown leather jacket

Chappie

Formerly: “Chappie wants to ride in the car.”

Presently: “Want to come in the real car. Chappie wants to come with.”


Video Games

Forspoken (Video Game)

Formerly: Forespoken

Presently: Forspoken

Metal Gear Solid V

Formerly: “Invisible” by Duran Duran is used in Metal Gear Solid V.

Presently: “Invisible” has not been used in any Metal Gear Solid games.

Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires

Formerly: Dynasty Warriors 2: Empires

Presently: Dynasty Warriors 4: Empires

Speed Punks

Formerly: Speed Punks was released on the Nintendo 64

Presently: Speed Punks (aka Speed Freaks) was only released on the original Playstation.

Pokemon Snap (1999)

Formerly: Ninetales can appear on the volcano level

Presently: Ninetales is not in Pokemon Snap

Formerly: Golduck can be found on the river level

Presently: Golduck is not in Pokemon Snap


Scientific Fields

Earth (Distance to Sun)

Formerly: Earth is approximately 96 million miles from the sun.

Presently: Earth is approximately 93 million miles from the sun.

AIDS

Formerly: Auto Immune Deficiency Syndrome OR Advanced Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Presently: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

North Star (Polaris)

Formerly: The North Star (Polaris) is the brightest star in the night sky.

Presently: Sirius is the brightest star in the night sky. The North Star is the 48th/49th brightest.

Parietal Eye

Formerly: Lizards do not have a third eye

Presently: Some lizards have a third eye, called a parietal eye

Horse Mustache

Formerly: Horses do not grow mustaches.

Presently: Horses can grow mustaches.

Pineapples

Formerly: Pineapples grow on a trees

Presently: Pineapples grow from a leafy, low-to-the-ground plant

Blood (color)

Formerly: Deoxygenated blood is blue

Presently: Blood is always red


History

Bed-in for Peace

Formerly: John Lennon and Yoko Ono had their first bed-in for peace in New York.

Presently: Their first bed-in happened in Amsterdam, at the Hilton Hotel, in March 1969.

Fax Machines

Formerly: Fax machines were invented in 1964

Presently: Fax machines were invented in 1843

“Let them eat cake”

Formerly: Marie Antoinette said “Let them eat cake” or a similar phrase after being told about a lack of bread among France’s lower classes.

Presently: The phrase is believed to have originated in the 18th century, potentially from a story about a princess in Jean-Jacques Rousseau’s Confessions.

Iron Maiden

Formerly: The Iron Maiden was a brutal medieval torture device.

Presently: The Iron Maiden was not invented until the 19th century.

American Buffalo (Bison)

Formerly: The American Buffalo (Bison) went extinct in North America.

Presently: The American Buffalo were nearly extinct in 1889 but their population has recovered.

Al Capone

Formerly: Al Capone died in prison.

Presently: Al Capone was released from prison in 1939 and died in Florida in 1947 after his mental and physical health had deteriorated from neurosyphilis

Capricorn

Formerly: Capricorn is a goat

Presently: Capricorn is a sea goat


Geography

Sakhalin

Formerly: Sakhalin doesn’t exist.

Presently: Sakhalin is a Russian island north of Japan.

Bergerac

Formerly: Bergerac is a channel island.

Presently: Bergerac is a town in France.

Bismarck, North Dakota

Formerly: Bismark, North Dakota

Presently: Bismarck, North Dakota

Ancient Sites

Formerly: The Gobekli Tepi does not exist.

Presently: Gobekli Tepi was discovered in Turkey.

Formerly: Kailasa temple does not exist.

Presently: Kailasa temple discovered in the Ellora mountains in India.

Formerly: Ollantaytambo does not exist.

Presently: Ollantaytambo discovered in the Sacred Valley of south Peru.

Formerly: Sacsayhuaman does not exist.

Presently: Sacsayhuaman discovered around Custco, Peru.

Formerly: No temple complex exists in Petra, Jordan.

Presently: A temple complex discovered in Petra in Jordan.

Tasman Sea

Formerly: Tasmanian Sea

Presently: Tasman Sea

Nuremberg

Formerly: Nurenberg

Presently: Nuremberg


Government

Transportation Security Administration (TSA)

Formerly: Transportation (and) Safety Administration

Presently: Transportation Security Administration

National Bird of the United States

Formerly: The Bald Eagle has been the national bird of the United States for a long time.

Presently: The Bald Eagle became the national bird of the United States in December 2024.

Ben Franklin

Formerly: Ben Franklin was President of the United States.

Presently: Ben Franklin was never President of the United States.

Richard Nixon’s Resignation Speech

Formerly: “I shall resign the Presidency effective noon tomorrow.”

Presently: “I shall resign the Presidency effective at noon tomorrow.”

Cow Tipping

Formerly: Cow tipping, the act of sneaking into a field at night and shoving over sleeping cows, is a common prank.

Presently: Cow tipping is a myth.

FAFSA

Formerly: FASFA

Presently: FAFSA


Spelling

Similar

Formerly: Similiar

Presently: Similar

Bonsai Tree

Formerly: Bonzai Tree

Presently: Bonsai Tree

Camembert

Formerly: camenbert

Presently: camembert


Music & Lyrics

One is the Loneliest Number

Formerly: “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever know.”

Presently: “One is the loneliest number that you’ll ever do.”

Formerly: “Two can be as sad as one.”

Presently: “Two can be as bad as one.”

Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)

Formerly: “If you like it then you better put a ring on it”

Presently: “If you like it then you shoulda put a ring on it”

Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious

Formerly: “But better use it carefully Or it may change your life. Ah..for example (yes) One day I said it to me girl And now me girl’s my wife!”

Presently: “But better use it carefully Or it may change your life. Ah..for example (yes) One night I said it to me girl And now me girl’s my wife!”

Bubbly

Formerly: “When you kiss my nose, the feeling grows”

Presently: “When you kiss my nose, the feeling shows”

Man in the Mirror

Formerly: “I’m talking to the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways”

OR

Formerly: “I’m looking/staring at the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways”

Presently: “I’m starting with the man in the mirror
I’m asking him to change his ways”

Marry You

Formerly: ‘Cause it’s a beautiful night, we’re looking for something fun to do

Presently: ‘Cause it’s a beautiful night, we’re looking for something dumb to do

In My Life

Formerly: Though I know I’ll never lose affection For people and things that came before I know I’ll often stop and think about them

Presently: Though I know I’ll never lose affection For people and things that went before I know I’ll often stop and think about them

Umbrella (song)

Formerly: “You had my heart, and we’ll never be worlds apart”

Presently: “You have my heart, and we’ll never be worlds apart”

I Will Survive

Formerly: And you see me, somebody new I’m not that lonely little person Still in love with you

Presently: And you see me, somebody new I’m not that chained up little person Still in love with you

Me and You and a Dog Named Boo

Formerly: Me and You and a Dog Named Blue

Presently: Me and You and a Dog Named Boo

American Pie

Formerly: Now for ten years we’ve been on our own And moss grows flat on a rollin’ stone But that’s not how it used to be

Presently: Now for ten years we’ve been on our own And moss grows fat on a rollin’ stone But that’s not how it used to be

Iron Man (Black Sabbath song)

Formerly: Ozzy lost his mind.
Can he see or is he blind?

Presently: Has he lost his mind?
Can he see or is he blind?

Michael Jackson: 30th Anniversary Celebration

Formerly: Staged in Madison Square Garden in New York City on September 7 and 10, 2001. Aired before the 9/11 attacks.

Presently: Staged in Madison Square Garden in New York City on September 7 and 10, 2001. Aired on CBS on November 13, 2001.

Front 242

Formerly: Had an early pre-90s track titled “Realpolitik.”

Presently: Song does not exist.

E.T. (Katy Perry song)

Formerly: “You’re so hypnotizing
Could you be a devil?
Could you be an angel?”

Presently: “You’re so hypnotizing
Could you be the devil?
Could you be an angel?”

Mirrors

Formerly: “It’s like you’re a mirror
A mirror staring back at me”

Presently: “It’s like you’re my mirror
My mirror staring back at me”

Edge of Seventeen

Formerly: Just like a one-winged dove

Presently: Just like the white-winged dove

Vroom Vroom

Formerly: Vroom Vroom released in 2015.

Presently: Vroom Vroom released in 2020.

Rick Astley

Formerly: Rick Astley died in the 1980s/90s

Presently: Rick Astley is still alive

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