David Tennant, the Scottish actor best known for his role in Doctor Who, has revealed that his stage name was inspired by Pet Shop Boys singer Neil Tennant. The 53-year-old disclosed on BBC's The One Show that he was forced to change his birth name, David McDonald, when he joined the actors' union at age 16 because another actor already had that name.
To find a new surname, Tennant said he looked through a copy of Smash Hits magazine and settled on Tennant after Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, describing it as 'a good strong solid name'. The actor legally changed his surname in the 2000s, and his wife Georgia and their children also now bear the Tennant name.
Fans expressed shock on TikTok after the BBC shared a clip of the interview, with one writing, 'I'M SORRY WHAT HIS NAME ISN'T DAVID TENNANT.' Another commented, 'Here's me just learning for the first time his name isn't David Tennant.'
Tennant recently hosted the 2025 BAFTA Awards at London's Royal Festival Hall, where he wore a kilt and performed a rendition of 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)' by The Proclaimers.
