It's Official: Carmen Electra Legally Changes Name After Request is Granted
Carmen Electra's initials are now officially C.E. after a judge signed off on her name change request.
Feb. 27 2024, Published 8:06 p.m. ET
Carmen Electra's initials are now officially C.E. The documents obtained by RadarOnline.com show that the 51-year-old Baywatch babe's name change petition was granted on February 26 in Los Angeles Superior Court, and her birth name, Tara Leigh Patrick, was legally changed to the one she's been going by for decades.
Carmen filed the legal documents to change her name in December.
"There being no objections, the petition for change of name is granted. The Decree is signed and The Petitioner's name is changed from Tara Leigh Patrick to Carmen Electra," the docs read.
This comes a little over one month after Electra filed her request, informing the court that she wished to dump her birthname and legally adopt her stage name. Now, she has to request a certified copy of her name change and she's good to begin her life as C.E. for real.
The Blast was the first to reveal that the judge signed off on her petition.
Her birth name is Tara but Prince didn't think it fit.
While everyone knows her by the name already, Electra wanted it recognized on her government documents and all the other important paperwork. The Scary Movie actress was looking for a fresh start in the New Year, filing the docs on December 29, 2023.
Interestingly enough, the name was given to her by her ex-boyfriend, Prince, before her career as one of Hollywood's hottest bombshells took off.
The Purple Rain singer bestowed Electra with her catchy new name in the '90s when she auditioned for a girl group he was putting together. Electra didn't land the job, but the actress always credited Prince for launching her career and giving her a successful alter ego.
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Prince was the one who came up with Carmen Electra.
"I received a call from Prince saying I think you should be your own artist and not back up anyone else. I'm going to write you a song and if you like it, you can record it," she recalled in an interview with OWN.
"The name of the song was 'Carmen on Top.' My name is Tara, so I was confused. I loved the song," Electra explained. "I loved it, but he said, 'You're not a Tara. You're not Tara. You're Carmen.'"
She said Prince transformed her into the starlet we know and love today.
"He controlled everything, but I loved that about him," she told E! News. "How I dressed, the music, hairstyles. He was genius at all that."
The pair dated in the '90s and Prince was allegedly thinking of popping the question.
The pair quickly grew romantic, with Prince telling his brother he wanted to propose. That all changed when Electra told him she wanted to work instead of stay home and play housewife.
"His brother once told me Prince was looking at rings when I was still in Minnesota and that he was going to propose to me. I was so excited and in love," Electra revealed. "One day, Prince asked me if I wanted to work or be a housewife. I said I want to work. I was only 19 or 20 and he ended up never asking me to marry him."
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Prince died of an accidental overdose in 2016. The news "shocked" Electra.
"He always talked about life, not death. He was excited about music," she remembered. "But, back then he talked a lot about God, but not about religion. Prince was like a god. Maybe that's why I'm so shocked he's passed away."
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