He was born in 1948 with the name Vincent Furnier, but in his entertainment career this bizarre person took a female stage name. What was it?

While born Vincent Furnier, the iconic shock rocker didn't initially adopt his famous stage name for himself alone. "Alice Cooper" was originally the name of the entire band he fronted. In the late 1960s, the group sought a name that would create a jarring contrast (Review) with their dark, theatrical performances. The wholesome-sounding, feminine name was a perfect, ironic fit for their macabre image and sound.

The origin of the name is shrouded in rock and roll legend. The most famous story, often repeated by the man himself, is that the name came to him during a Ouija board session, revealing he was the reincarnation of a 17th-century witch. A more practical explanation is that Furnier simply liked the sound, picturing a sweet-looking girl with a hatchet behind her back. This duality between the innocent name and the menacing imagery became a central part of the band's brand.

When the original band broke up in the mid-1970s, Furnier embarked on a solo career. To avoid legal disputes over the rights and to fully embody the character he had created on stage, he legally changed his personal name from Vincent Furnier to Alice Cooper. He has been the one and only Alice Cooper ever since, forever blurring the line between the man and his ghoulish persona.