10 Fascinating WWE Backstage Facts About 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin
7. The Name 'Stone Cold' Came From A Cup Of Tea
'Stone Cold' Steve Austin's name is a major part of his success. If he were called something else, he likely would have never attained the same degree of prestige that he did. But it wasn't easy getting there, as WWF had some different ideas in mind that would have ruined his career.
The origins of 'Stone Cold' came about after Austin was inspired to play a heel character akin to the serial killer Richard Kuklinski, also known as "The Iceman." Austin shared this with the creative team, and they came up with some nicknames for him, including Chilly McFreeze, Otto von Ruthless, Ice Dagger, Cruel Luke, Cool Cat, and Fang McFrost. Yeah, funnily enough, he didn't go with any of these.
In the end, it was his wife at the time, Jeanie Clarke (via The Hannibal TV), who pointed him in the right direction. After citing frustration with the proposed names, Clarke said, "Well, don't worry about it; you'll come up with something. Just drink your tea before it gets stone-cold. There it is; there's your name." From there, the rest was history.
Austin got what he wanted with the name and became one of the most marketable wrestlers of all time. Who would have thought a cup of tea could hold such power over the wrestling business? Of course, credit to Clarke is also very much deserved!