More on the process of deciding WWE names (Patreon)

If you've ever wondered the process for establishing WWE names, we have a bit of insight for you.

Alex Zayne, the former Ari Sterling, referred to the process as “hectic,” but said he knows that a lot of people have it easier. When it became clear he was going to be on WWE television, they had him compile a list of preferred names. After he sent a list over, he was told that they needed more names to choose from. After “Ari” was determined, Alex tried to push through “Zayne” but was told they couldn't do that – not because of main roster star Sami Zayn, but because Zayda Ramier had debuted on television and they sounded too similar. The name Ari had come from Jeremy Piven's character from Entourage “Ari Gold,” and Ari Sterling was a reference to that, as in “Ari Silver.” The actual name got cleared for use just a couple of hours before Ari Sterling's television debut.