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Cincinnati Bengals Player Legally Changes Name:

Chad Johnson, wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals in the NFL, officially changed his name to Chad Javon Ochocinco on August 29, 2008. The name change was put in place so Johnson could officially represent his affiliation to his football number and loyalty to his team. Currently, the Bengals have given permission for him to wear his new last name on the back of his jersey, but Chad is unable to sport it during games until financial obligations with Reebok and the NFL are settled.

The idea to change his last name came in October 2006. In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Johnson announced that he would prefer to be called “Ocho Cinco,” his jersey number in Spanish. On October 29, 2006, Johnson for the first time wore "Ocho Cinco" splashed across the back of his jersey in place of "C. Johnson." According to ESPN, Johnson was fined approximately $5,000 for the name change regardless that quarterback Carson Palmer had ripped the label off prior to the game.

Chad Johnson was born on January 9, 1978 in Miami, Florida. He currently plays for the Cincinnati Bengals as their first string wide receiver. He was drafted by the team in 2001 during the second round as a rookie from Oregon State. Since his debut in the NFL, Johnson has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times and to the All-Pro three times. As of currently, Johnson holds several records for the Bengals, including but limited to most receiving yards in a season, most receiving years all time, Most receiving touchdowns and most receiving yards in a game.