Talk:The Rock (entertainer)

The following discussion is an archived debate of the proposal. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made in a new section on the talk page. No further edits should be made to this section.

Why is this article still named The Rock? He is done with wrestling. He was going by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson for a while and his last movie he dropped The Rock completely.68.166.37.220 (talk) —Preceding comment was added at 22:03, 27 February 2008 (UTC)

I agree he's really trying to move away from being just the Rock at the oscars he was introduced as Dwayne Johnson, I think it should be changed to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson or maybe just Dwayne Johnson Ipunknown (talk) 03:17, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

He is now known professionally as Dwayne Johnson. That's what it should be. Mshake3 (talk) 03:22, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

See WP:COMMONNAME. He became notable and is still best known as The Rock, as still uses that too (although usually as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson). So the current name is fine. TJ Spyke 03:24, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

No, he's not. He's best known as Dwayne Johnson, actor. Mshake3 (talk) 04:05, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

I get that within the wrestling fan base he is still best known as the rock but to the general public, like the millions of people who watch the oscars or go see family comedys he's best known as Dwayne "the Rock" johnson or just Dwayne Johnson, plus the rock is really just a character he played and the article is about the actual person Ipunknown (talk) 03:32, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Hmmm, you are saying the answer yourself, "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson", so he still uses the Rock name, making The Rock name an allias that he is best known as. It does not matter whether he is best known as The Rock only by wrestling fans (even though that's a lie, he has starred in many movies under that name) WP:COMMONNAME says that the article is to be by what they are best known as, he has been best known as the Rock from the 90s up to today. TrUCo⁹31¹ 03:38, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

I'm new to wikipedia so I'm not gonna push this but it just seems weird that a page that extensively covers the real life of Dwayne Johnson would use the name of his most famous character as its title, i get it for other wrestlers where they're real life actions can be limited to a single paragraph under the heading "personal life", but it just seems like calling him the Rock is like placing the page for say Sean Connery under James Bond Ipunknown (talk) 03:44, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Since he's no longer wrestling, and it's clear he's starting to distance himself from his ring name, the page name should be changed to just Dwayne Johnson. Many wrestlers' (active and inactive) pages are under their real names, and he was identified as such at the Oscars. Beemer69 03:48, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Well thats hard to challenge and I would have to agree with you Beemer but Johnson still makes promo appearances for WWE under his ring name, so?...--TrUCo⁹31¹ 03:50, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Either way, the page name should not be changed to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, simply because it's too verbose. --Beemer69 03:58, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

it makes sense for him to appear on WWE as the Rock since thats the character he portrays on WWE programming but its important to note that the Rock is just a character and not the real Dwayne Johnson thus a page about Dwayne Johnson shouldnt be called The Rock Ipunknown (talk) 04:02, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Well its hard to argue with that..TrUCo⁹31¹ 04:10, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Maybe even something along the lines of two seperate pages one for the Rock as a WWE character and another for Dwayne Johnson the actor, similar to what is done with other famous tv characters and their portrayers (i.e. Fraser and Kelsey Grammar) Ipunknown (talk) 04:18, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

That works for them, but not for professional wrestlers. If we are to rename the article go with Dwayne Johnson, and thats it. eventually, Stone Cold Steve Austin's article will be renames to his real name.TrUCo⁹31¹ 04:21, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

yeah your right, I have a hard time picturing steve austin's page being titled steve williams though but im sure 2 years ago i would've been against calling the rock, Dwayne Johnson Ipunknown (talk) 04:25, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Well, renaming Austin's page "Steve Williams (wrestler)" would be pretty sticky itself, because there's already a wrestler with that name (Dr. Death Steve Williams), but I digress. Two pages for Johnson aren't necessary, especially since the different angles he took part in while with the WWE already have their own pages. Therefore, to have separate pages for Johnson and The Rock would be overkill. Rename the page Dwayne Johnson, but the page content stays the same. Beemer69 05:16, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Just posting to let you know that Steve did legally change his name to Steve Austin. Lex ^T/_C Guest Book 06:16, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

This is the first i've heard of that, you have a source for that claim? TJ Spyke 01:53, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

I'm for a name change. He's been trying to move away from being known simply as the Rock. --Endless Dan 17:09, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

Actually it has to do with legality. WWE owns the name The Rock, and when its a WWE Film he goes by "The Rock" and when the studio pays WWE a licensing film, they let him go by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, but some studios feel they dont need to pay WWE as hes known well enough. That being said, I think he is known well enough by his real name. LessThanClippers 19:44, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

It doesn't matter if he is trying to move away from the name The Rock. He is best known under that name. Ask anybody about Dwayne Johnson, and if they recognize the name, the first response they say would probably be, "Oh, you mean the Rock?" It is what he is most known for, so it should stay. Kris (talk) 22:07, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

This is a strong argument going on here, as it could go either way. Renaming it to Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, would be like someone said above "sticky", also Dan, just because you support Johnson for trying to move away from The Rock name isn't a strong argument. I say we give him more time to make more appearances else where then the WWE, I say give him till the next movie which will be released sometime this year, and if he doesn't use The Rock name from now till then (except for in WWE) then we should rename it, but 2-4 appearances under Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, or simply Dwayne Johnson isn't really notable, I say give it time for now.TrUCo⁹31¹ 22:32, 28 February 2008 (UTC)

It was only within the last year that he just started using "Dwayne Johnson" only, I think it will be a long time before he is better known as that instead of The Rock (especially since none of his films have been blockbusters or Academy Award winning films, wheras he was watched by millions of people every week in wrestling and was one of the top merchandise sellers). TJ Spyke 01:53, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Amen TJ.TrUCo⁹31¹ 01:56, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Truco, my brief reasoning should not discount my support for a move. I agree with many of the points made in favor of a name change and didn't want to rehash the same old arguement. As for your last statement, I disagree with giving it more time for now. He has been out of the WWF for a few years now and has been moving further away from being 'just the Rock' as demonstrated by his movie billings as 'Dwayne Johnson' or 'Dwayne "the Rock" Johnson'.

TJ - he was refered to as just 'Dwayne Johnson' at the Oscars. The Rock nickname was not mentioned. Also I disagree with your pov that none of his movies have been blockbusters. The Game Plan (film) made over $100 million dollars just in the theatres. This does not include DVD sales (which was the #1 DVD for 2 weeks upon release). But that's just one movie. In comparison, as far I know no WWE event (with or without the Rock) has ever banked $100 mill (including gate & tv revenue). If you review the WrestleMania X-Seven article, which had one of the Rock's biggest matches ever, the gate at the event was meerly $3.5 million... for "a record-breaking event".

Also, lets not cloud WP:PW's collective perspective on pro wrestling as a whole. Movie stars and Hollywood films are inarguably a much, much, much bigger form of entertainment then professional wrestling is. His exposure in the last year (appearing on day-time day time talk shows, the Oscars, late night shows) reaches a much larger and broader audience then even his pinnacle with the WWF. --Endless Dan 17:37, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Amen Dan. Ipunknown (talk) 19:26, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

Honstly, "The Rock" is nothing more than a nickname now. Mshake3 (talk) 18:39, 3 March 2008 (UTC)

Weak oppose. Oppose would be stronger if the page was just "The Rock". Looking at his movie career at Box Office Mojo[1] He has made $400 million in grosses in his career as a star. In 5 of his 8 movies including The Scorpion King ($91m, his biggest hit) he was billed as "The Rock". Even in Game Plan ($90m, his second biggest hit) he was "Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson" so he is still trading off his fame as that persona. Also billed as "The Rock" in The Mummy Returns which was way bigger than any of his starring vehicles ($202m). At IMDb[2] he is billed as The Rock for his wrestling stuff as recently as 2007. Therefore has not (yet?) made the same impact as Dwayne Johnson. Songs of ts steiner (talk) 19:40, 29 February 2008 (UTC)

My whole spin on this is that he decided he wanted to be known as his real name Dwayne Johnson rather than the Rock. In my opinion he should have kept the name The Rock but he didn't. That's why I think we should go by what he's going by. The same thing for puffy/p. diddy/diddy. It pisses me off that he keeps changing his name, but thats his decision and we can't keep calling him puffy.68.166.37.220 (talk) 07:24, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

• Oppose - until the widespread media and fans stop calling him the Rock in favour of Dwayne Johnson, this page should remain where it is (WP:Use common name). Bssc81 (talk) 20:33, 2 March 2008 (UTC)

The Rock was a DEFENSIVE lineman at U of Miami and in the CFL - Not an OFFENSIVE lineman... —Preceding unsigned comment added by 63.114.58.46 (talk) 18:45, 3 March 2008 (UTC)