Lisa Bonet Goes By A Much Different Name In Her Personal Life

It's no secret that Lisa Bonet's real life hasn't run parallel to the life of Denise Huxtable, her character on "The Cosby Show." While Denise was a high-energy, rebellious young adult attempting to find her place in the world, Bonet always exuded a more reserved energy. During the late '80s and '90s, Bonet carved a unique lane outside of her sitcom career, marked by darker, more controversial roles and risqué magazine spreads. "My obligation wasn't to Denise. I felt obligated to myself and my career," Bonet shared with Interview Magazine about her career pivot (via Jezebel).

Bonet's first marriage to rock legend Lenny Kravitz also helped to further separate Bonet from "The Cosby Show" character. The pair married in 1987, and their marriage lasted until 1993. Apparently, Bonet and Kravitz got divorced for a number of reasons, but the biggest was timing. "I think I just wasn't ready," Kravitz admitted to Glamour UK in 2014. "I had to take a break. I went through a lot of emotional things, a lot of deaths in my family." Following the divorce, Bonet underwent a series of changes, including changing her legal name to a much more unique (and memorable) moniker.

In the mid-'90s, Lisa Bonet had her legal name changed to Lilakoi Moon. Bonet's decision was influenced by her desire to guard her privacy, per Emerge Magazine (via the Orlando Sentinel). Given her and Kravitz's star power at the time, her sensitivity to public attention makes sense. During an interview with Net-A-Porter, Bonet talked about dealing with invasive fans during her pregnancy with her oldest child, Zoe Kravitz. "People were falling off roofs trying to get pictures," shared Bonet. According to The Buffalo News, the "Angel Heart" star changed her name just eight months after she pulled the plug on her marriage — on April 14, 1993. She cited "irreconcilable differences."   

Years earlier, Bonet revealed that she never wanted to be a famous actor at all. "Actually, someone sent me to an acting class because I was bored with my life." Bonet shared with The Washington Post. "I had absolutely, really, no interest in being an actor, because I was very shy." Unfortunately, it appears that Bonet's decision to change her name backfired, as the new name definitely piqued the curiosity of her fans. So what exactly does Lilakoi Moon mean? Bonet has never explained. However, she once shared with People that she landed on the name "to honor my personal life outside of" her career. Fittingly, Bonet only uses Lilakoi Moon amongst her close friends and family. 

Lilakoi Moon isn't Lisa Bonet's only alternative name. Jason Momoa also has a super cool nickname for her: Goddess. Or at least he did. The "Game of Thrones" star revealed the awesome nickname for Bonet in 2019. When talking about his personal hideaway to Esquire, Momoa shared the name. "I feel like Tom Waits and Neil Young might stay the night in my man cave," said the actor. "Goddesses belong up there ... Dirtbags down here."

Unfortunately, Momoa and Bonet broke up in January 2022, so he may very well have retired the name. "We have all felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times ... A revolution is unfolding ~and our family is of no exception ... feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring," shared the former couple on Instagram (via Us Weekly). "We share this not because we think it's newsworthy ~ But so that~ as we go about our lives we may do so with dignity and honesty." Well, at least they have the memories!