10 DUMB WWE Name Changes (That We Didn't Want To Admit Were GENIUS)

8. Carlito Caribbean Cool > Carlito

WWE WALTER GUNTHER
WWE

Psst! Remember when recent returnee Carlito debuted on the main roster back in late-2004 and was handed the rather lengthy Carlito Caribbean Cool name? That's what the then-newbie referred to himself as during promos, and announcers followed suit by repeating the name in full every single time they went to talk about him.

Someone shorten that to 'Triple C', for crying out loud.

Seriously though, the name was cumbersome. Within months, WWE's creative team had started to shorten the name to simply Carlito, and it was an inspired change. For example, hearing commentators hesitate to take a breath before saying something like, 'Carlito Caribbean Cool is beating up John Cena' was a little much; Carlito was more than enough. It was snappier.

The second and third parts of Carly's original ring name will never make a return, and with good reason. Some folks were a bit snippy about it back in '04 though, probs because the name change happened so swiftly following his debut.

In this post: 
Gunther
 
Posted On: 
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.