Pamela Anderson reveals she wants to change her name to honour her Finnish roots

At 58, the Baywatch and Naked Gun star shared that the name the world knows, “Pamela Anderson”, isn’t the one she’d choose for herself today. Anderson expressed a wish to adopt her family’s original surname, Hyytiäinen, which belonged to her late Finnish grandfather.

The change represents a meaningful connection to her family history and the childhood memories she associates with her grandfather, who taught her Finnish and filled her early years with stories, imagination, and a sense of cultural pride.

“Sometimes I don’t want to be Pamela Anderson,” she said, explaining that she’d prefer to be known as Pamela Hyytiäinen, a tribute to the man she described as “the closest person to me in my life.” She acknowledged that making the change hasn’t been simple, noting the practical and personal challenges involved.

Anderson also reflected on her family’s migration story. When her ancestors moved to Canada, her grandfather’s original surname was changed to “Anderson” to help the family assimilate.

Despite this, her bond with her grandfather left a lasting impression, and she recalled a childhood filled with Finnish lessons and folklore that felt magical at the time, inspiring her desire to revisit that part of her life and heritage.

The idea of reclaiming her roots comes during a period of renewed creative energy for Anderson, who has experienced a career resurgence in recent years with new acting roles and continued public interest in her life story.