What Is Perez Hilton's Real Name?

If you're a fan of entertainment news and celebrity gossip, you'll more than likely know the name Perez Hilton. No, not Paris Hilton. Perez Hilton. Perez was one of the biggest names on the internet when blogs and social media began to explode in the mid-2000s, sharing his two cents in a gossipy and often snide way about what was going on in Hollywood. "What set my site apart is that prior to PerezHilton.com, most blogs were mainly online journals and diaries, but that never interested me," he explained in 2010 (via The Telegraph). "I wanted to talk about celebrities because they're far more entertaining."

Of course, things got hairy for Perez when the landscape started to change and the whole world became more aware of the mental health issues that can plague those in the spotlight who have faced constant jibes. One of the celebrities Perez particularly took harsh aim at back in the day? Britney Spears. In fact, Perez was so morally questionable when reporting about Spears and her troubles that he apologized for his past coverage in 2021. "I can't say I was just young and dumb," he told Sky News. "I know I didn't express myself as well as I could have. I didn't lead with empathy and compassion. I absolutely apologize and carry deep shame and regret."

But as Perez continues to strip back the snarky layer that used to dominate his blog, fans have plenty of questions — including what's his real name?

While he's known worldwide as Perez Hilton, his actual birth name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr. Although Perez has gone by his gossip moniker for years now, he's never actually legally changed his name from the one on his birth certificate. In fact, he told Press Gazette in 2021 that there are still a few people who refer to him by his birth name. But that doesn't mean he'll be turning his back on his chosen name anytime soon. "I love Perez Hilton though. It's not easy being Perez Hilton. But I live a blessed life — very privileged, and very grateful," he shared.

One of those using Perez's full name? None other than Kanye West (who's no stranger to a name change himself). Some may remember that the rapper called the blogger out by his full name in a since deleted Instagram post in February 2022, in which West shared a photo of Perez alongside the caption (via HITC), "I have a direct question for Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. Do you think jokes about mental health are funny?" Perez then responded with an Instagram post of his own, sharing a throwback photo of himself with the rapper alongside the caption, "#Kanye, if you want to really chat — come be a guest on PerezPodcast.com."

Perez Hilton decided to change his name when he began creating his online presence, and has revealed he spent a lot of time thinking about what he wanted to go by. "The Perez is me — the outsider, the Latino, the gay. And Hilton is the mainstream — the Hollywood. So it's the outsider's perspective on showbiz and doing things differently than how they were done before," he admitted to Press Gazette.

The name Perez Hilton was, of course, inspired by Paris Hilton, with Perez admitting in his 2020 memoir, "TMI: My Life In Scandal," he knew the name change left himself open to the possibility of being sued by the socialite. That never happened though and, instead, the two actually became friends, with Paris even inviting him to the studio while she was recording back in 2006. "I knew Paris was using me, but I also didn't care; I was using her, too. I mean, I was a blogger who was hanging out with Paris Hilton," he wrote.

Today though, Perez is putting his previous persona to one side to be a little more real. "I used to hide more behind this character of Perez Hilton. But I've dropped the mask, as they say," he told Press Gazette, revealing what he'd learned over the years. "It's absolutely fine to have an opinion. It's even fine to have a critical opinion. But it's totally unnecessary and not productive to have a cruel opinion."