# Professional vs real name, which one should I use?



## darling (Nov 26, 2007)

Hi everyone!

I'm very excited, I worked for my first tear sheet today for Skorch Magazine.. I'm not familiar with it, but even if it's a small publication I'm still very happy 

I have a question though, I have a real name and a name I use as a MUA & model, sort of a "professional"/"stage" name so to speak, kind of like authors & pen names. I was wondering which name should appear on the credits of the magazine, as I definitely want to receive credit. I would like to use my professional name, but I was thinking of applying for a MAC Pro discount, and the name on my ID is definitely different.. Also, if I need to show my ID to my future employer, I'm not sure if they would accept a different name on the tear sheet when I put it into my portfolio..

Thanks so much for your input!


----------



## COBI (Nov 26, 2007)

Do you have a contract with the mag that lists both? Who is the payment made out to? If you want to use a professional name, then I think you should. It should be easy enough to prove to MAC that you (real name) are also known as "Darling MUA".


----------



## gigglegirl (Nov 26, 2007)

I'm in no way an expert or an MA or whatever but I say go with your professional/model name. That way it'll be like "Sonja"  (or whatever) and thats how ppl will book you/seek you out. I imagine a lot of people do this so I'd think there'd be a way to prove its you. And I think if you have tear sheets that all say your professional name, but have id in your real name they would be able to realize you didn't just steal tear sheets from some random person after every gig. 

There must be some MA's who own businesses that use a different name than their real one....I hope one of them can give you some tips and definitive answer!!

*Congrats* on your first big tear-sheet gig!!!


----------



## FacesbyNiki (Nov 26, 2007)

My nickname is Niki. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





Everyone in the industry does not use their 'birth name'.. LOL


----------



## darling (Nov 28, 2007)

Thanks for the help ladies  I emailed MAC and this is the response I got:

Please send in any and all professional documentation in your given name and not your profession name.  The membership card must be processed under your legal name as you will be asked to provide photo identification at the time of purchase.


----------



## FacesbyNiki (Nov 28, 2007)

Oh yes for the membership, you need to put your legal  name because they sometimes check your id. My bad, I thought you meant for something else. 

I'm sorry hun.


----------



## aeni (Nov 29, 2007)

I ALWAYS use my stage name.  If people write out checks to me with that name, they just think "Oh they don't know how to spell her name!"  Although IMDB has yet to credit me properly.

With any documentation though and contracts I use my legal name.  I make sure that everyone however knows that it is not how I want to be credited.  I normally put parentheses around my work name.

Mine's Aeni.  My real name is Annie.


----------



## pixichik77 (Dec 1, 2007)

i know many girls going thru this quandry, but with married names, not professional names. My mother always went by maiden at work, married for personal matters. Her checks and bank listed both names


----------

