For as long as he’s been in the spotlight, fans and critics alike know pro golfer Tiger Woods by those two names alone. 

While his name is unconventional, hardly anyone ever questioned it, especially when Tiger was rising up the ranks and earning all kinds of brand endorsements. 

His name has continued to earn him notoriety, even after the expensive and public divorce he went through with his ex-wife.

It’s also not the wackiest celebrity name out there, even in Tiger’s generation. 

But it turns out Tiger isn’t his real name at all, though there’s a good reason he chose to go by a nickname rather than his birth name.

Tiger Woods’ Real Name Is Eldrick Tont Woods

By the time he began to gain fame on the green, Eldrick Tont Woods was already known by the nickname Tiger. His parents, however, named their little boy Eldrick, and that is the name on Woods’ birth certificate.

Eldrick’s parents are named Earl and Kultida Woods, and Tiger’s mom gave a hint as to why their son was given a unique name as well. According to records of interviews with Kultida, she chose Eldrick because it starts with an E like Earl but ends in a K for Kultida.

Earl also had three older children before Tiger; Earl Jr. was born in 1955 and Kevin was born in 1957, while the only sister in the family, Royce, arrived in 1958. Earl and his first wife divorced; he married Kultida Punsawad in 1969.

Tiger isn’t even the only one in the family with golf talent; Earl Jr.’s daughter Cheyenne is a golfer as well. The family is not close, however, according to Tiger’s half-siblings. His sister even said she would rather live in a shack and have a relationship with her brother, rather than accept the home he gifted her.

Tiger’s mom is from Thailand, though in an interview, Kultida explained that she has lived in the United States far longer than she did in Thailand at this point.

The family’s heritage is as unique as their monikers; Tiger calls himself “Cablinasian,” referring to his mixed background of Caucasian, Black, Native American, and Asian ancestry. Earl Woods, who passed away in 2006, claimed that he was African-American, Native American, and Chinese, though there has been some question of whether the Chinese heritage was accurate.

Regardless, Tiger has always been careful to acknowledge his full background, rather than simply stating he is Black.

How Did Tiger Woods Get His Nickname?

It turned out that not only did Tiger Woods’ dad Earl help his son become a great golfer, training him since he was a toddler, but he also gave Tiger his nickname. It’s unclear whether Eldrick was actually ever called Eldrick during his youth, but by the time he began making headlines, he was referred to as Tiger.

The story goes that Tiger Woods’ father Earl, who spent many years in the military (he met his wife in Thailand while stationed there), had a friend whose name was Tiger. According to Earl Woods Sr., he called his son Tiger after Colonel Vuong Dang “Tiger” Phong, who had gone missing in Vietnam. Earl thought that his old friend would be able to track him down because, he says, he knew the younger Woods was destined for fame—and that his old buddy would recognize the nickname and find him.

Unfortunately, that never happened, as Tiger Phong passed away in a political camp in Vietnam shortly after Tiger Woods was born. Regardless, Earl began to call his son Tiger and it became the only name the young golfer would use in public.

So why did Tiger Woods change his name from Eldrick? It’s not clear whether Tiger Woods actually ever changed his legal name from Eldrick Tont Woods. Rather, it seems that his nickname was so well-ingrained in the public (and his family) that he never needed an “official” step to make it permanent.

Did Tiger Woods Trademark His Nickname?

On the business side of things, it would make sense if Tiger Woods copyrighted or otherwise legally protected his chosen nickname, if for no other reason than to keep brands from monopolizing his image to make money.

It seems that, based on public trademark records, Tiger did trademark his nickname as well as his company logos. The golfer trademarked TGR Foundation and its logo, a TW logo for clothing and shoes, Tiger Woods for golf computer games, Tiger Woods for golf attire, and even Tiger Jam for a music-focused enterprise under his name.

Tiger also trademarked Tiger Woods for his golf career; the trademark highlights that it’s applicable “IN THE NATURE OF COMPETITIONS IN THE FIELD OF GOLF; ENTERTAINMENT SERVICES, NAMELY, PERSONAL APPEARANCES BY A SPORTS CELEBRITY.”

Woods’ trademark also applies to his website and other representations of him online. Clearly, his trademarks have ensured Tiger’s immense net worth continues to grow, even if people have begun to grow tired of him (and his scandals).

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Source: USA Today