Names that reflect physical attributes. These are used most frequently by girls with big boobs — think Heather Hooters, Dixie Bubbles, Pamela Peaks, Honey Melons, Tiffany Towers, Kat Kleevage, Maxi Mounds, Crystal Gunns, Kimberly Kupps, Savannah Staxx and Ricki Raxxx. But the practice also can apply to something as simple as hair color: In the 1980s, there was a wave of girls named Blondie and Amber. There’s also one girl named Jessica Biglips, apparently a nod to her surgically enhanced kisser. Male porn stars also use this tactic to call attention to their size, prowess and virility. The most blatant example of this is Long Dong Silver, the 1980s star whose name worked its way into the American Zeitgeist even though his career fizzled out after a handful of movies. Silver might be the best known of this group, but there have been and are others, including Byron Long, Dick Rambone, Brian Surewood, Dave Hardman, Erik Everhard and Carl Hardwick.
Names that reveal ethnicity. You won’t find any performers named “Whitey Humpsalot” in your Porn History 101 textbook, but you will find names like Ebony Ayes, Black Puma, Black Passion, Chocolate, Kenya, Afrika, India, Brazil, Asia Carrera, Lucy Thai and, on the male side, Mandingo.
“Show me the money” names. Porn stars are all about bling and Benjamins — just ask Nikita Kash, Debi Diamond, Diamond Forever, Jewel De’Nyle, Jewell Marceau, Tiffany Million or John Dough. An adjunct to this is car names, specifically, ridiculously expensive, souped-up, foreign-sports-car names like Sofia Ferrari, Nina Ferrari, Claudia Ferrari, Porscia Lynn, Susie Mercedes and Lexus Locklear.
Names that scream, “I AM A PORN STAR!” These performers want to make sure there’s no mistaking what they do for a living and that anyone who hears or reads their names will know instantly that they are, in fact, porn stars. For example, there’s not much chance that Jayme Fuckingham’s mailman thinks she’s a nuclear physicist. The same probably can be said for Anna Slut, Rene Pornero, Flick Shagwell, Fluffy Cumshot, Jacklyn Lick, Angie XXX, Max Hardcore or Buttman.
Directional names. This category belongs almost exclusively to the men in the business. As World Modeling’s South said, “There was one awards show where we almost had Jim South, Nick East, Peter North and Randy West on the stage together.”
Weather-related names. Maybe the fact that most porn is shot in California’s San Fernando Valley, where every day is hot and sunny, makes performers nostalgic for their hometowns in the frigid Midwest. Or maybe stars like Aurora Snow, Crystal Storm, Desert Storm, Stormy Water, Harley Rain, Amber Rain, Taylor Rain, Jenna Haze and Autumn Haze are just meteorology buffs. Whatever the reason, performers bring a lot of moisture to Porn Valley.
Stripper names. Let’s face it, America’s strip clubs are pretty much a de facto farm league for the adult film industry, where performers can hone their gyrating, back arching and crawling-on-all-fours skills. It’s only natural that they drag their stripper names onto the movie set with them. As a result, the 1990s were littered with Nikkis, Vickys, Toris and Tiffanys. These days, you can’t go to a porn party without tripping over a gaggle of Crystals, Ashleys, Katies, Britneys and Taylors.
Summers, sunrises and sunsets. What’s everyone’s favorite season on the porn calendar? Why, summer, of course. Or perhaps Sunny Daze, Sunny Leone, Judy Suns, Teri Summers, Barbara Summers, Haley Summers, Paige Summers, Gwen Summers, April Summers and Summer Luv are actually distant cousins using the same family name.
Names that sound good enough to eat. There tends to be a lot of mouth-to-whatever-body-part-is-available contact in porn, so it only makes sense that performers choose appetizing names like Rocky Roads, Cinnamon, Jessica Sweet, Candi Evans, Candy Cotton, Sweet Kandi, Candy Samples, Honey and Delicious. But the all-time cleverest food-related porn name may have been Keisha, simply because it inspired the movie title, “Real Men Eat Keisha.”