What was Mohammad Ali's birth name and why did he change it?

 

Muhammad Ali's birth name was Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.. He officially changed it in 1964 after converting to Islam and joining the Nation of Islam (NOI). 

Why He Changed His Name

Ali renounced his birth name for several deeply personal and political reasons: 

• Rejection of a "Slave Name": Ali considered "Cassius Clay" to be a "slave name" given to his ancestors by white slaveholders. He stated, "I didn't choose it and I don't want it". 
• Religious Identity: The name Muhammad Ali was bestowed upon him by NOI leader Elijah Muhammad. "Muhammad" means "worthy of all praise," and "Ali" means "most high". 
• Self-Determination: He famously declared, "I don't have to be what you want me to be. I'm free to be what I want to be". The change was a symbol of resistance and empowerment. 
• Transition Period: Before receiving his final name, he briefly called himself Cassius X, following a tradition in the Nation of Islam where the "X" replaced the unknown African family name lost to slavery.