How did you choose your stage name? For some people, it’s an obvious choice. Maybe they’ve always had a nickname they want to use that they will easily and automatically respond to, or maybe it takes them 5 seconds to come up with something because they’re naturally clever. For others, it can take months of brainstorming and indecisiveness before they select a name they love. Here’s how the Rocket Dolls each came up with their own alter ego’s nomenclature:
Frenchy LaRouge: My real life last name is (the word) French, practically everyone on that side of my family is nicknamed Frenchy including myself, so it was a natural choice for me. La (or le) Rouge is a fairly common burlesque last name, with rouge meaning red in French, and since I’m a redhead it seemed easy and appropriate.
Desiree De Carlo: Desiree means desired in French, and was also the potential name my dad had chosen for me before I was born (he lost). De Carlo is a reference to the gorgeous Yvonne De Carlo, who was a glamorous Old Hollywood starlet (and fantastic dancer) that went on to play Lily Munster in the 60’s. That combo of glittering sex appeal & mid century camp was greatly inspiring.
Lula Lawless: Lula is from one of my favorite movies of all time, David Lynch’s Wild at Heart. Lawless for the opposite of my muggle life as a paralegal.
Trini Bikini: My sister actually came up with mine!
Patsy Blue Ribbon: I wanted something that was cheeky and had a Chicago connection. I also like beer!
Vagina Woolf: I struggled with appropriate name choices for a very long time. I couldn’t decide what I wanted to represent. I went between androgynous names and names that sparkled and glittered. I had been talking with my sister about my struggle, when she suggested “Vagina Woolf.” I loved that it was a play on Virginia Woolf (whom I enjoy as an author). This name had an appropriate amount of raunch associated with it. Not only that, but it represents my strong feminist directive and provides an amusing amount of discomfort (you know, because “vagina” is a dirty word). I have never looked back.
