Wait, Ashley Tisdale's Name Isn’t Actually Ashley Tisdale? Actress Reveals Name Change

Let’s be real: stage names are basically a Hollywood rite of passage. I mean, did anyone actually think Machine Gun Kelly was born with that name? Some are obvious, some less so. Meghan Markle’s real first name is Rachel, Miley Cyrus was born Destiny Hope Cyrus, Whoopi Goldberg? Caryn Johnson. And now, we can add Ashley Tisdale to that list.

On November 17, the actress and singer, 40, took to social media to announce that she'll no longer be going by Ashley Tisdale. In a video captioned, “A quick check-in [white heart emoji]” with “Life update” across the screen, Ashley began, “I’ve never really been this intimate before, but I have so much to talk about, especially now in my 40s, having my kids, being a parent, running a company.”

“I’ve been Ashley French for so long at home but I’ve never really changed [my name] publicly because everybody knows me as Ashley Tisdale," she explained. "I just felt like it was time for people to know me for me, and not just for a character or a celebrity.”

As someone who grew up with Ashley Tisdale—yes, High School Musical and her singing era—hearing her name is changing feels like the end of an era. It wasn’t Ashley French who brought Sharpay Evans to life in the HSM films or dropped the bop “He Said She Said,” which still gets heavy rotation in my playlist today. But honestly, I can respect that this name change just means we’re stepping into a new chapter of life alongside her.

For context, French is Ashley’s married name. She tied the knot with musician Christopher French in 2014 and the couple has two daughters together, Jupiter, 4, and Emerson, 13 months.

By going public with her married name and her newly launched website, By Ashley French, Ashley isn’t just marking a new chapter, she’s creating a space to share her story authentically.

So long Ashley Tisdale and hello Ashley French.

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