In 2008, when she was 15, Destiny Hope Cyrus legally changed her name to Miley Cyrus.How-To, DIY & Expert Content
By then, millions already knew her as Miley thanks to the enormous success of Hannah Montana.
Billy Ray has spoken several times about the meaning behind the name she was given at birth.
“She’s a giver,” he told Us Weekly in 2020. “She believes that we’re all put here for a reason, and that’s to give back to our fellow man.”
He explained that this belief was part of the reason he and Tish had chosen the name Destiny Hope.
“Destiny Hope Cyrus is her name — at least it used to be,” he said.
“But no matter what you call her, she still is Destiny Hope.”
Billy Ray described his daughter as “a ray of sunshine” and “a special human being” with “a great heart.”
He had given a similar explanation years earlier, saying Miley smiled constantly as a baby and that “Smiley” gradually evolved into “Miley.”
