Charlotte Flair may be one of the most dominant names in women’s wrestling today, but it turns out she wasn’t even allowed to use her last name when she first started in WWE.
During her interview on Games With Names with Julian Edelman, the 14-time Women’s Champion revealed a surprising detail about her early career—she had to earn the right to be called “Flair.” It wasn’t until WrestleMania 34, after her victory over Asuka, that WWE gave her permission to use the legendary last name publicly.
“So funny you said the Asuka match. I wasn’t allowed to use the name Flair or use my last name until after the match with Asuka at WrestleMania 34,” she explained.
“I showed up at TV the next night and my boss at the time was like, ‘You can use the last name Flair now.’”
“I guess I had to earn it.”
Even her iconic “woo” and signature Ric Flair chops were off-limits at the start of her run. Charlotte pointed out the strange irony that WWE themselves named her “Charlotte,” nodding to her father’s ring hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina.
“But I’m like, ‘You named me Charlotte.’ Like I think they thought it was a joke—because my dad was billed from Charlotte, North Carolina. So this kid—we’ll just name her Charlotte. It turned out though.”
After defeating Asuka at WrestleMania 34—ending her 900+ day undefeated streak—Charlotte cemented herself as more than Ric Flair’s daughter. WWE finally gave her the keys to the legacy.
This wasn’t just a gimmick—it was a rite of passage. Charlotte had to prove she wasn’t just using her father’s name. She had to own it.
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What do you think—should Charlotte have been allowed to use her name from day one? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.
