Olivia Wildethe ‘Don’t Worry Darling’ filmmaker, rarely went by her real name and kept it a secret for a long time, and there’s a reason. The 42-year-old explained how her last name became the center of laughter, recalling that she was made fun of since childhood. The actress expressed that her name keeps her grounded, no matter how much her life journey evolves.Here’s a closer look at Olivia Wilde who set the record straight on her name.
Olivia Wilde reveals pronunciation of ‘Cockburn’
The American celebrity’s real name is Olivia Jane Cockburn, and she changed her last name to ‘Wilde’ in showbiz as a tribute to Irish author Oscar Wilde. Emphasizing the correct pronunciation, the ‘House’ star declared, “I’m going to tell you something, and there’s no way you’re going to know it, it’s pronounced ‘Coburn,'” during the podcast interview with the ‘Armchair Expert’ host. Dax Shepardbefore adding: “What I want you to imagine being a boy, when you’re… Because it’s written, Cockburn.”Comparing the ridiculed names, Olivia emphasized that the situation is like if the child is called “Sue”, adding personality to the character. “I think it’s important. We should all give our kids devastating middle names just so you can grow up to be something to be totally bullied about,” the ‘Booksmart’ director quipped, continuing how she learned an important lesson early in life.
Olivia Wilde remembers laughing with others over ‘Cockburn’
Although he found no bullies to his name, Wilde learned to laugh along with others at his misery. “I don’t know. I thought it was funny, too. I was like, ‘Oh, I get it. It’s funny,'” he declared on the podcast. To this day, Olivia doesn’t know if it was worse for her or her nine-year-old younger brother. When asked by the host if people would have been kinder to him a decade later, he expressed that the last name, Cockburn, will always make him laugh.“It’s actually kind of comforting, too. It’s like no matter how we evolve, if your last name is Cockburn, you’re going to take it. [the chin]” she said, sharing another important life lesson she learned with her name.On the professional front, Olivia Wilde’s directorial film “The Invite” recently hit theaters on June 26, 2026.