When Blake Monroe made her debut in WWE NXT, she did so with a new name, leaving behind the “Mariah May” moniker she had used in both AEW and STARDOM. In a recent interview on Busted Open Radio, the former AEW Women’s World Champion explained the personal and creative reasons behind the change, revealing that the new name is a tribute to her niece and a name she has had in mind since before she ever started wrestling. She also stated that she wanted a clean break from her previous persona, poetically saying it’s “cool that she died and that’s done.”
Monroe explained that using her real first name, Mariah, in wrestling was a decision she came to regret. “No. If you’re familiar with my prior name, I feel like it was the end of a story, and I cherish that. It’s kind of cool that she died and that’s done. Mariah is my real name, and I wish I had never used that in wrestling because it’s weird. I did it and can’t change it,” she said. “The chance to start something new, and with WWE, we’re going to make this new thing and make it a megastar. Week by week, we do that. I love it, and it’s a tribute to my niece.”
The name “Blake Monroe” is a combination of two meaningful names for her. “My niece is Blake. We used to watch WWE together and she’d jump on the bed and be so excited. When they said, ‘How would you feel about the name? Would you be open to changing it?’ I said, ‘I absolutely would,’” she explained. The surname, Monroe, is one she has had in mind for years. “Monroe was the first wrestling name I ever wrote down. I still have it in a book and a screenshot from 2017. I didn’t start wrestling until 2020. I wanted to do Monroe as a first name.” She also embraced the slightly “controversial” and “boyish” nature of the name Blake, noting that it gets people talking.
The new name is part of a complete repackaging for the British star, who has been positioned as a top talent since her arrival in NXT in June.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article, please credit Busted Open Radio with an h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription.
