- These celebrity ladies are dropping their last names again.
Amira Pocher (31) has apparently decided to revert to her maiden name after separating from Oliver Pocher (46), as revealed by the comedian in the latest episode of his podcast. He referred to her as Amira Aly, the mother of his two youngest children. Other German celebrities have also dropped their ex-husbands' names after divorce.
Alessandra Meyer-Wölden
Before Amira Pocher, Oliver Pocher was married to Alessandra Meyer-Wölden (41) from 2010 to 2014. They met in 2009 and married a year later, with Alessandra taking Pocher as her last name. They have three children together. After their divorce, Sandy returned to her maiden name. She stated in a joint podcast with Oliver Pocher that it was "not an option" for her to keep his last name, as she had voluntarily given up her complex maiden name. The American-born woman did not want there to be "two or three Frau Pochers running around."
Natalia Yegorova
Ukrainian model Natalia Yegorova (50) gained fame through her 26-year marriage to former boxer and current mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko (53). In August 2022, the couple announced their divorce after 26 years and three children. Natalia Klitschko became Natalia Yegorova again, resuming her modeling and singing career in Ukraine. She explained in an interview with "Der Spiegel" that she wanted people to know she had carried the name Klitschko, but did not want to be referred to as the "ex-wife" for years to come. In 2023, she danced in the RTL show "Let's Dance" for the first time as Natalia Yegorova, taking her first steps towards a new identity.
Sarah Engels
Sarah Engels (31) and Pietro Lombardi (32) were married from 2013 to 2019. They met in 2011 during "Germany's Got Talent" and married in 2013, followed by the birth of their son Alessio in June 2015. After their 2016 separation, Sarah initially kept Lombardi's name. In a 2021 interview with "Bild am Sonntag," she explained that the only reason she kept the name after the divorce was for her son, as she found it strange to have a different name from Alessio. In May 2021, she surprised fans by announcing her marriage to Julian Büscher (31), and they both dropped their last names, becoming Sarah and Julian Engels. Their daughter Solea was born in December 2021.
Alena Gerber
Alena Gerber (34) has been married to former national player Clemens Fritz (43) since 2017, and they have a daughter together. After their wedding, Alena became Alena Fritz. However, she started using her maiden name professionally again in August 2019. She told "Bild" at the time that, after much consideration, she decided to return to her maiden name for business purposes, as most clients still insisted on using Gerber or preferred to book her as Alena Gerber. She now sees this as an advantage rather than a disadvantage.
At 18, Jenny Elvers (52) was crowned the Heide Queen, marking the beginning of her career as an actress, host, and It-girl. In 2003, she married media manager Götz Elbertzhagen (64) and changed her name to Jenny Elvers-Elbertzhagen. After a decade together, the couple separated in 2013, and the divorce followed in November 2014.
"I've dropped the name. I'm back to being Jenny Elvers," the actress told the magazine 'Closer' shortly after the split. "I want to draw a line under my old life and start anew."
Sylvie Meis
Model and host Sylvie Meis (46) and footballer Rafael van der Vaart (41) were once considered a dream couple. They were married from 2005 to 2013 and have a son, Damian (18), together. Under her husband's name, Sylvie van der Vaart achieved success as a model and host in both her native Netherlands and Germany.
After the divorce, she initially wanted to keep her ex-husband's name. "Of course, I'll remain a van der Vaart. I didn't want a different last name than my son Damian," she told 'Bild'. However, Dutch family law had other plans, and she had to revert to her maiden name. Despite the name change, her success hasn't been affected. As Sylvie Meis, she continues to thrive and is a staple in the German celebrity scene.
Sylvie Meis and her continued to thrive in the German celebrity scene after her divorce, maintaining her success as a model and host under her maiden name. After their separation, other celebrities like Sylvie opted to revert to their maiden names, choosing to move forward with a fresh identity.
