1

Bob Dylan

Image: Rowland Scherman, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As if he weren't talented enough, Bob Dylan not only captivates us with his lyrics and music but also excels in the world of visual arts . The musician is a skilled metal sculptor, creating impressive pieces from welded metal objects. Did you know it?

2

Bob Barker

Image: Rebecca Roth, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Bob Barker wasn't just a beloved media personality and the unforgettable host of The Price Is Right ; he also knew how to throw a punch. It turns out that Barker was a skilled martial artist who trained for years under action star Chuck Norris and even earned a black belt in Karate.

3

Johnny Cash

Image: Heinrich Klaffs, via Wikimedia Commons

Johnny Cash wasn't just gifted with his voice and guitar; he also had a surprising skill: Morse code. He served in the US Air Force in Germany during the Cold War, working as a radio-intercept and Morse code operator. It’s said that his decoding talent enabled him to be one of the first Americans to learn of Joseph Stalin’s death.

4

Christopher Walken

Image: By Tabercil, via Wikimedia Commons

Christopher Walken gave us iconic film roles, but it wasn't just the big screen he mastered. As a teenager, he took on a peculiar summer job: lion-taming. Believe it or not, it's true! The famous actor performed tricks with a large lioness, which, according to him, taught him stage presence, confidence, and, of course, a lifelong love for cats.

5

Geena Davis

Image: Alan Light, via Wikimedia Commons

In addition to starring in blockbusters like Thelma & Louise (1991), A League of Their Own (1992), and Beetlejuice (1988), Geena Davis is also a skilled athlete. That's right! She took up archery around 1997 and performed so well that she competed in the US Olympic trials for the 2000 Sydney Games, coming very close to qualifying!

6

Mark Ruffalo

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

Beloved Mark Ruffalo is much more than a leading man and a superhero. The actor also has a talent many would envy: he can ride a unicycle! He showcased this skill on The Graham Norton Show in 2014, riding both a standard unicycle and an extra-tall one. As he explained, he dreamed of joining the circus as a child, which inspired him to learn this unique skill.

7

Steve Carell

Image: Sgt. Michael Connors, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Steve Carell has long proven himself as one of America's finest actors, excelling in both comedy and powerful dramas. As if that weren't enough, he’s also a skilled ice hockey player. In college at Denison University, he was a goaltender for the club hockey team, even earning the nickname "Backbone of the Defense"!

8

Terry Crews

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Wikimedia Commons

While he’s delighted us countless times with comedic roles, Terry Crews is also a writer, TV host, book illustrator, furniture designer, flute player, and even a former NFL player! Yet his most remarkable talent lies in the fine arts: he earned a college art scholarship before his football scholarship, and his paintings and drawings are said to be seriously impressive. Without a doubt, Crews is pure charisma, muscle, and talent!

9

Lucy Liu

Image: Bryan Berlin, via Wikimedia Commons

The incredible Lucy Liu was born in New York in 1968 and was destined to become a star. But she is much more than one of Charlie's Angels ; Liu is also a talented and accomplished painter. And it's not just a hobby! She has a professional art studio and has exhibited her work over the years.

10

Zac Efron

Image: Ivo Duran from Brazil, via Wikimedia Commons

Over the years, Zac Efron has proven he's more than just a teen star, taking on major and diverse film roles. But that's not his only talent; Efron also masters a skill that's both sensual and challenging: pole dancing! He trained for the film The Greatest Showman , and his athleticism helped him master the strength and precision the art requires.

1

Serena Williams

Image: Josephine Gasser

We’ll start with a tennis legend. Serena Williams is definitively one of the biggest names in this sport’s history. Alongside Venus, her sister and doubles partner, Serena managed to set record after record in her 27-year professional career.

In 1999, an 18-year-old Serena won her very first major title in the U.S. Open. Of course, that was only the beginning: She managed to achieve a feat we now know as a "Serena Slam" , winning both a Career Grand Slam and a non-calendar year Grand Slam between 2002 and 2003.

2

Tiger Woods

Image: Steven Shircliff

It's not an unusual sight to spot a red shirt hanging around the final round of a major golf tournament. After all, Tiger Woods always wears this color whenever he’s competing in the most important round of a tournament, which happens quite frequently.

Few names inspire as much admiration among golf players as Tiger Woods does: With 82 PGA Tours wins and 15 majors, he is widely considered one of the greatest golfers in history . Not only that, at 48 years of age he still manages to be a force to be reckoned with.

3

Babe Ruth

Image: Diana Polekhina

You’ll find many "Kings", "Queens" and "Legends" in this article, but only one "Sultan of Swat": Babe Ruth. He is not only one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but he is also an icon in American culture and one of the five inaugural players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Babe Ruth also holds the dubious distinction of being the source of a jynx. After the Boston Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees in 1918, the Red Sox suffered an 86-year championship drought that many fans blamed as karma for the sale. Naturally, this cautionary tale has henceforth been known as "The Curse of the Bambino".

4

Michael Phelps

Image: Gentrit Sylejmani

The title of the most decorated Olympian of all time goes to none other than Michael Phelps, "the Baltimore Bullet". This iconic swimmer made a splash (no pun intended) in every Olympic game he competed in, earning a record amount of 28 medals during his career.

It is fairly hard to choose the most iconic Phelps performance, but we probably lean towards the 2008 Beijing Olympics : Michael won 8 gold medals, breaking the all-time record for most first-place finishes.

5

Michael Jordan

Image: Taylor Smith

Michael Jordan might be the biggest legend in NBA history. He is widely regarded as the best player of all time , having won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and a myriad of other competitions including an Olympic gold medal.

Not only that, Jordan became a cultural icon and one of the most recognizable figures of the 90s, appearing in movies, video games, and in the logo of his iconic Nike shoes, the Air Jordans.

6

Simone Biles

Image: Eduardo Cano Photo Co.

Simone Biles’ debut at the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics is one fitting for someone considered to be one of the greatest gymnasts of all time : She won four individual gold medals, as well as gold as part of the United States team.

Nowadays, Biles holds the distinction of being the most decorated gymnast in history , becoming a six-times all-around World champion in the process. Although she was forced to withdraw from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics due to an injury, the future still seems to hold great things for this amazing athlete.

7

Joe Montana

Image: Dave Adamson

In the 1992 presidential primary, then-candidate Bill Clinton earned the nickname "The Comeback Kid" after securing a last-minute second place in New Hampshire. We’re pretty sure that President Clinton must have been particularly proud of this nickname: After all, it is legendary quarterback Joe Montana's most famous moniker.

Joe Montana earned this nickname through his iconic, last-minute touchdown plays . While he played for the San Francisco 49ers, Joe won four Super Bowls and became the first player to be named Super Bowl MVP on three separate occasions.

8

Jackie Robinson

Image: Mick Haupt

On April 15, every player, coach, and manager of all MLB teams wears the number 42 on their jerseys. This tradition, which started in 2004, is known as "Jackie Robinson Day" , a day dedicated to celebrating and remembering one of the most remarkable baseball players in history.

April 15th is a memorable date in baseball as it commemorates the day Jackie Robinson made his MLB debut. Celebrating his monumental career (winning a World Series and six All-Star games), Robinson was the very first African American player to play in the MLB, and his 1947 debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers marked the end of racial segregation in professional baseball.

9

Billie Jean King

Image: Valentin Balan

Billie Jean King is considered one of the best tennis players in history: She won an impressive total of 39 Grand Slam titles , as well as seven Federation Cups and nine Wightman Cups. However, she is also remembered as a long-standing advocate and pioneer for equality for female players, famously winning a historic match known as "the Battle of the Sexes".

In this 1973 match, while she was the No. 1 ranked female player in the world , King faced former American champion Bobby Riggs, who famously stated that even a retired male player such as himself could defeat the current female champion. King’s victory not only showcased her considerable skills but also marked a milestone in the road for female equality in the sport.

10

Muhammad Ali

Image: Johann Walter Bantz

We’ll end this article with the most celebrated boxer of all time . We could fill this entire article with incredible moments from Muhammad Ali’s life: His achievements are literally too many to count. From his groundbreaking fighting style to his flawless technique, Ali truly earned the title of "the Greatest".

However, this nickname also perfectly describes this boxer’s boundless determination both inside and outside the ring. Perhaps the best example of this can be described by a single, incredibly moving image: Despite his failing health, 54-year-old Ali took the stage at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games to light the Olympic flame.

1

Big Shanty to Kennesaw

Image: Joe Yates

Changing the name was probably a good idea, as "shanty" is not the most flattering description for this suburban city northwest of Atlanta in Cobb County, Georgia. The original name was given in the 1830s when the Western and Atlantic Railroad was built, and shanty towns were established to house the workers . In 1887, the city’s name was changed to Kennesaw.

2

Rough and Ready to Mountain View

Image: Waldemar

A community with an interesting name, for sure, Rough and Ready was originally named after the Rough and Ready Tavern (also known as the Bagley House ), a stagecoach stop on the route from Macon to northern Georgia.

The name changed in 1956 when the community was incorporated as a city. It was renamed Mountain View —a reference to the fact that, on a clear day, Stone Mountain can be seen 20 miles to the east.

3

Terminus to Atlanta

Image: Gary Doughty

Atlanta, Georgia, was once known as Terminus because it served as the final station of a major state-sponsored railroad . However, as time passed, several other railroads converged in the city, the largest being the Western and Atlantic Railroad— from which the name "Atlanta" comes.

4

Idlewild Airport to John F. Kennedy Airport

Image: Afif Ramdhasuma

Although originally named New York International Airport , the 1948 facility was commonly known as Idlewild Airport . However, following the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963, it was officially renamed as it is today, in his honor.

5

New Amsterdam to New York

Image: Luca Bravo

There was a time when New York was called New Amsterdam. In the 17th century, the Dutch established a settlement at the southern tip of Manhattan Island , serving as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland . It officially became a city in 1653.

However, when the English took control of New Amsterdam in 1664, they renamed it New York after the Duke of York.

6

Minnehanonck to Blackwell to Welfare to Roosevelt Island

Image: Mason C

The third New York-area entry on our list is an island in the middle of the East River , adjacent to Manhattan. It was originally called Minnehanonck by the Native Americans and later became known as Blackwell’s Island.

In 1921, it was renamed Welfare Island, and in 1973, it was renamed once more in honor of former U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

7

Hot Springs to Truth or Consequences Hot Springs

Image: Ethan Wright-Magoon

Believe it or not, this town accepted a challenge from the 1950s game show Truth or Consequences to change its name in exchange for hosting the program.

Since then, Hot Springs, New Mexico, has been known as Truth or Consequences Hot Springs.

8

Halfway to Half.com to Halfway

Image: everett mcintire

Another example of a town that changed its name in exchange for a reward is Halfway, Oregon. In the 1990s, as part of a marketing campaign , the town agreed to rename itself "Half.com" for an entire year in return for $110,000 and 20 computers for a local school —all to promote an internet start-up.

9

East and West Mauch Chunk to Jim Thorpe

Image: Donnie Rosie

The picturesque borough of Jim Thorpe in Pennsylvania was once known as East and West Mauch Chunk . However, after Native American sports legend Jim Thorpe passed away, the municipality negotiated a deal with his heirs to become the site of his tomb and rename the town in his honor , hoping to boost tourism.

10

North Tarrytown to Sleepy Hollow

Image: Richard Hedrick

North Tarrytown was the home of American writer Washington Irving , who drew inspiration from the town for his short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow .

In 1996, the town officially changed its name to Sleepy Hollow , honoring both the writer and the story that brought it worldwide fame.

11

Barrow to Utqiagvik

Image: Alexis Mette

This Arctic Circle city was once known as Barrow , named for its proximity to Point Barrow , America's northernmost point. However, following a referendum approved by residents in 2016, the city's name was officially changed from Barrow to Utqiagvik to better reflect its native roots .

12

Bella Vista to West Pittsburg to Bay Point

Image: Robert Bye

The original name of this community, Bella Vista (meaning "Beautiful View" in Spanish), was changed to West Pittsburg. However, because it was often confused with the western unincorporated section of Pittsburgh, California , the name was revised again in 1993 to Bay Point, reviving a historical name used in the area.