No, you don't need to change it.
Status report Page 2,579
I don't think you have to be an Equity member to work as an actor anymore. The same name thing goes back to when actors had to join and couldn't use a name of someone already a member.
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 19 2010, 2:34 PM BSTI don't think you have to be an Equity member to work as an actor anymore. The same name thing goes back to when actors had to join and couldn't use a name of someone already a member.
Is Equity just for UK actors? As if someone had my name and was American and no British actor had my name then I would be alright or am I wrong?
Quote: Dolly Dagger @ August 19 2010, 2:34 PM BSTI don't think you have to be an Equity member to work as an actor anymore.
That's right. As far as I can tell having your name be unique is more of an IMDb concern than anything.
Quote: David Bussell @ August 19 2010, 3:05 PM BSTThat's right. As far as I can tell having your name be unique is more of an IMDb concern than anything.
Ok thanks. That's alright then.
Quote: James Cotter @ August 19 2010, 3:06 PM BSTOk thanks. That's alright then.
I still think you'd be best off giving yourself the middle name "fresh" and having it shaved into the back of your head.
How about Hustle for your middle name David?
Quote: James Cotter @ August 19 2010, 2:51 PM BSTIs Equity just for UK actors? As if someone had my name and was American and no British actor had my name then I would be alright or am I wrong?
There's a separate Equity in the US. People in the different countries don't have to be unique though, no.
Quote: Aaron @ August 19 2010, 3:22 PM BSTThere's a separate Equity in the US. People in the different countries don't have to be unique though, no.
I should be alright as I am for now then.
Quote: sootyj @ August 19 2010, 3:20 PM BSTHow about Hustle for your middle name David?
I was thinking 'integrity'.
Quote: James Cotter @ August 19 2010, 3:27 PM BSTI should be alright as I am for now then.
Hmm, you would not want to create the situation where you became partly famous and say wanted to join equity then and had to take a new stage name AFTER all your initial hard work on your existing name.
Quote: David Bussell @ August 19 2010, 5:14 PM BSTI was thinking 'integrity'.
What about 2 names? 'Ben Dee'?
This seems to be the Equity or Spotlight rules.
They do not like closely similar names or just adding a middle initial..
http://www.equity.org.uk/HowToJoin/ProfessionalName.aspx
Here's a tool for generating exotic names
http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/dnd/20010208b
and one for slightly less exotic names
http://www.jimwegryn.com/Names/FictionNames.htm
This one seems quite good.
http://www.kleimo.com/random/name.cfm
And you can find more generators with Google[Character Names Generator]
This is all fairly academic anyway. Cotter's pretty talentless. 
Plus:
Billwill is cross because the dentist charged £45+ today to take out a bit of sharp bone that she should have taken out when she took out the tooth two months ago.
