Pamela Anderson Considers Changing Her Last Name – Here’s Why

Hollywood actress Pamela Anderson has said she wants to change her last name to honor her Finnish grandfather.

The former Playboy star explained that her grandfather, Herman Hyytiäinen, originally had the Finnish surname before the family moved to Canada and changed it to Anderson to fit in.

Anderson told Vogue Scandinavia in an interview published Tuesday that she shared a very close bond with her grandfather, who died when she was 11. “He was the closest person to me in my life,” she said.

She also explained why she sometimes feels disconnected from her famous last name. “Sometimes I don’t want to be Pamela Anderson. I want to be Pamela Hyytiäinen,” she added.

Despite her wishes, Anderson said changing her name isn’t possible for now. “I would like to change my name, but they won’t let me,” she said, without explaining who “they” are or why they disagree.

The family originally switched to Anderson when they moved to Canada because it sounded more North American and helped them blend into their new home. Even though the family left that part of their heritage behind, Anderson’s grandfather worked to keep the Finnish language alive for her. She often carried a Finnish dictionary with her to learn new words and impress him.

“[The language] kind of left with him,” she said, explaining that she lost touch with Finnish after his death.

Anderson also visited Finland in 2007 to reconnect with her roots. Her desire to change her name now shows how much her grandfather and Finnish heritage still mean to her, even decades later.

Have something to add? Let us know in the comments!