Quiz on name changes

On this day in 1984, the Republic of Upper Volta changed its name to Burkina Faso. This week looks at a few more prominent name changes.

Take names

1 The first craft of this series was to be named Constitution, in honour of the Constitution of the US. However, the fans of an iconic television series successfully campaigned for another name, which was eventually adopted when it was launched in September 1976. What did the Constitution become?

2 This famous author and former policeman submitted a list of four possible pseudonyms to his agent Leonard Moore. Three of them were PS Burton, Kenneth Miles and H Lewis Allways. Name the fourth that he picked to avoid his family name being associated with a novel about poverty.

3 This city was originally named Tsaritsyn. For nine days a year, including May 9, (Victory Day) and Feb 23 (Battle of the Fatherland Day), it is allowed to use a third name, which was what it was known as between 1925 and 1961. Identify the city and its third name.

4 JB Holmes is one of US’s most prominent professional golfers. For what reason did he start using the moniker ‘JB’ instead of his actual first name?

5 Which company was formally known as Blue Ribbon Sports and started as a distributor for a Japanese firm, Onituksa Tiger?

6 He was born Leslie Lynch King Jr, but his mother left her husband after being threatened with physical harm just a few days after he was born and he was later renamed after his stepfather. Name the prominent American leader.

7 Since the 11th century, this area was named Karnavati by the Chalukya leader Karna after a successful campaign against the Bhil king. What is its current name, given by Sultan Ahmed Shah in the 15th century after another successful campaign?

8 Born to a Muslim father and a Hindu mother, she was originally named Saira Khan. Her mother later changed her name to Roopa Rai, but it was with a third name that she really made her mark in Hindi cinema. Name this well-known actress of the ’70s and the ’80s.

9 He was known as Eric Marlon Bishop, but chose a gender-neutral first name after he noticed that in standup comedy, female comedians are the first to be called on stage. Name the Oscar-winning actor who chose his surname in honour of his favourite comedian Redd?

10 This group, who made it big with their album Surrealistic Pillow , changed the second word of their two-word name after they split in 1972. In 1984, another lawsuit forced them to ditch the first word as well, leaving only the second word that had been changed. Name the group, whose biggest commercial hit was We Built This City in 1985.

Answers

1 The Enterprise, the first ever space shuttle, named in honour of the spaceship in Star Trek

2 George Orwell, from Eric Blair

3 Volgograd, which is referred to as Hero City Stalingrad for nine days a year

4 His first name is John, and John Holmes was the name of a porn film star in the US

5 Nike; Phil Knight later renamed it after the Greek goddess of victory

6 Gerald Ford, the 38th US President

7 Ahmedabad, named after four saints bearing that name who lived in that area

8 Reena Roy

9 Jamie Foxx

10 Jefferson Airplane became Jefferson Starship and later Starship

Joy Bhattacharjya is a quizmaster;

Twitter: @joybhattacharj

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