Olivia WildeThe ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ filmmaker, rarely addressed his real name and kept it a secret for a long time – and for a reason. The 42-year-old opened up about how her last name became the center of hilarious conversations, recalling being made fun of since childhood. The actress revealed that her name keeps her grounded, no matter how her lifestyle evolves.Here’s a closer look at Olivia Wilde setting the record straight about her name.
Olivia Wilde reveals the pronunciation of ‘Cockburn’
The American celebrity’s real name is Olivia Jane Cockburn, and she changed her last name to ‘Wilde’ for show business as a tribute to Irish author Oscar Wilde. Emphasizing the correct pronunciation, the ‘House’ star said, “I’ll tell you something — and there’s no way you’d know it — it’s ‘Coburn,’ pronounced during a podcast interview with the ‘Armchair Expert’ host. Dax ShepardBefore adding, “I want you to imagine being a child, when you… because it’s spelled, Cockburn.”Compared to the mocked name, Olivia emphasized that the situation, like the boy’s name being ‘Sue’, added a personality to the character. “I think it’s important. We should all give our kids devastating middle names so you can grow up with something that’s totally bullied,” says the ‘Booksmart’ director, continuing how he learned an important lesson early in life.
Olivia Wilde recalls laughing with others for ‘Cockburn’
Although he faced no bullies because of his name, Wilde learned to laugh with others in his misery. “I don’t know. I thought it was funny too. I was like, ‘Oh, I get it. It’s funny,'” he said on the podcast. To this day, Olivia doesn’t know if it was bad for her or her nine-year-old younger brother. When the host asked if people would be kind to him a decade later, he revealed that the surname, Cockburn, would always get a laugh.“Actually, that’s kind of a relief, too. No matter how we evolve, if your last name is Cockburn, you’re going to take it. [the chin]” she said, sharing another significant life lesson she learned through her nameOn the professional front, the Olivia Wilde-directed film, ‘The Invite’ recently hit theaters on June 26, 2026.
