He made his debut in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) in 1996 on one of the television shows. After a few years, he changed his name to The Rock, which had multiple meanings. One reason for this was due to wrestler Pat Patterson nicknamed Rocky and another reason is that it allowed him to sell Rock merchandise in WWF stores. His mother Ata Johnson also suggested that “Rock” stuck with him better than “Johnson”. He was born in Hayward, California and is of Samoan descent through his father Peter Maivia who was part of the famous Anoa'i family from World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Johnson decided to just use the stage name "The Rock" as his wrestling career progressed and his popularity grew. The name was a reference to his physical prowess as well as his commanding and endearing personality, and it has proven to be very popular among wrestling fans.
After leaving the world of professional wrestling, Johnson has continued to use the stage name "The Rock" in his acting and producing careers, emerging as one of Hollywood's most recognizable and famous figures. Today, the name "The Rock" has almost become a synonym for Dwayne Johnson and his singular and unmistakable visual presence.
