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Tiger Woods is one of the most famous athletes in modern history, but many fans were shocked to discover that Tiger is not his real name. Eldrick Tont Tiger Woods was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California, to a Thai mother and an African-American father. While he is known as Tiger to sports fans, his nickname was inspired by his father's friend, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also called Tiger.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Eldrick Tont Woods |
| Nickname | Tiger |
| Nickname Origin | Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, a friend of his father |
| Birthplace | Cypress, California |
| Date of Birth | December 30, 1975 |
| Parents | Kultida Woods and Earl Woods |
| Mother's Heritage | Thai |
| Father's Profession | Army Officer |
| Father's Retirement Year | 1974 |
| Father's Rank at Retirement | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Father's Hobby | Amateur golfer |
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What You'll Learn
Tiger Woods' real name is Eldrick Tont Woods
Tiger Woods is one of the most famous athletes in modern history, widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. Despite his widespread fame, Woods' real name is not commonly known. In fact, many fans have expressed shock and disbelief upon learning that his birth name is Eldrick Tont Woods.
Eldrick Tont Woods, better known as Tiger Woods, was born on December 30, 1975, in Cypress, California. He is the only child of Kultida Woods, a Thai woman, and Earl Woods, an Army officer. Kultida reportedly chose the name Eldrick because it started with the letter 'E', like her husband's name, and ended with the first letter of her own name. Additionally, his middle name, Tont, is a traditional Thai name meaning 'beginning' in English.
While Tiger Woods is not his given name, it holds a special significance. The nickname "Tiger" was given to him by his father, Earl, in honour of his close friend and comrade in the army, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also known as "Tiger". Earl had met Colonel Phong during the Vietnam War. In an interview, Earl expressed his hope that his friend would one day recognise his famous son and they would be reunited. Unfortunately, Colonel Phong passed away before this could happen, but his legacy lives on in Tiger Woods' name.
During his amateur golf career, Woods was known as Eldrick Woods. However, by the time he turned professional in 1996, he had already adopted the nickname "Tiger." Despite his fame as Tiger Woods, his official records still list his name as Eldrick. Interestingly, Woods' father never called him by his birth name or nickname but instead referred to him as "Sam".
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His middle name, Tont, is a traditional Thai name
Eldrick Tont "Tiger" Woods is the full name of the American professional golfer. While the world knows him as 'Tiger', his birth name was Eldrick Tont Woods. His middle name, Tont, is a traditional Thai name, meaning 'beginning' in English. It was chosen by his mother, Kultida, who is originally from Thailand.
Woods was nicknamed 'Tiger' by his father, Earl, in honour of his friend Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also known as 'Tiger'. Earl Woods served in the US Army and met Colonel Phong during the Vietnam War. Earl explained that he knew his son would become famous and that he wanted his old friend to see his son's success and reconnect with him.
Woods was known as Eldrick during his amateur career, but by the time he turned professional, he had adopted the nickname 'Tiger'. Despite this, he is still officially known as Eldrick on his personal records.
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'Tiger' was a nickname given to him by his father
Tiger Woods is one of the most famous athletes in modern history. However, "Tiger" is not his real name. Eldrick Tont Woods is his birth name, and he was nicknamed "Tiger" by his father, Earl Woods.
Earl Woods was an army officer who served in the US Army during the Vietnam War. During his service, he became close friends with a South Vietnamese Colonel named Vuong Dang Phong, who also went by the nickname "Tiger". Earl had a strong feeling that his son would achieve greatness and fame one day. He hoped that his friend Colonel Phong would see his son on television or read about him in a newspaper and make the connection. In an interview with ESPN, Earl said:
> I knew, instinctively knew, that my son was going to have fame. Someday, my old friend would see him on television, read about him in a newspaper or magazine, and say, 'That must be Woody’s kid', and we’d find each other again.
Unfortunately, Earl's plan did not come to fruition. Colonel Phong's grave was discovered outside a re-education camp in North Vietnam, and he never learned about Tiger Woods's connection to him. Despite this, Earl's wish to honour his friend through his son's nickname lives on.
While "Tiger" is the name most associated with the golfing legend, it is interesting to note that his father, Earl, did not refer to him as Tiger or even by his birth name, Eldrick. Instead, Earl called his son "Sam" since the day he was born.
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It was in honour of his father's friend, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong
Tiger Woods is one of the most famous athletes in modern history. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest golfers of all time. However, despite his widespread fame, many fans were shocked to discover that "Tiger" is not his actual first name. His birth name is Eldrick Tont Woods, with "Tiger" being a nickname that has stuck permanently.
The name "Tiger" was given to him by his father, Earl Woods, in honour of his close friend in the army, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also referred to as "Tiger". Earl Woods met Colonel Phong while serving for the US Army during the Vietnam War. In an interview with ESPN, Earl said:
> I knew, instinctively knew, that my son was going to be famous. Someday my old friend would see him on television, read about him in a newspaper or magazine, and say, 'That must be Woody's kid', and we'd find each other again.
Unfortunately, Earl's plan did not work out. Colonel Phong never knew that his namesake had become one of the world's greatest athletes. His grave was discovered outside a re-education camp in North Vietnam. In a Golf Digest interview, Earl expressed his sadness that Phong never got to know about Tiger, saying:
> Phong would be totally flabbergasted by Tiger, completely blown away. He would view him as his own son. He wouldn't know a damned thing about golf, but it wouldn't be necessary. He would be so proud and so happy.
While competing on the amateur circuit, Woods was known as Eldrick Woods. By the time he turned professional in 1996, he had adopted the nickname "Tiger". Despite his moniker, Woods is still officially known as Eldrick on his personal records. Interestingly, Woods' father never used to refer to him as either Eldrick or Tiger. During an interview with the Augusta Chronicle, Woods revealed that his father always called him Sam.
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Fans expressed shock after learning that Tiger is not Woods' real name
Fans of the golf legend Tiger Woods have expressed their shock after learning that his real name is not Tiger. The golfer's full name is Eldrick Tont Woods, with 'Tiger' being a nickname given to him by his father, Earl, in honour of his close friend in the army, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also referred to as 'Tiger'.
Despite Woods' widespread fame, his real name has remained a mystery to many, leading to a wave of reactions across social media. Fans took to Twitter (now known as X) to express their surprise, with some struggling to process the news. One user posted, "Just found out Tiger Woods' first name isn't Tiger, I'm about to throw up." Another fan echoed similar sentiments, writing, "I was today years old when I realized that Tiger Woods' real name isn't Tiger Woods."
While competing on the amateur circuit, Woods was known as Eldrick Woods. By the time he turned professional in 1996, he had already adopted the nickname 'Tiger'. Interestingly, Woods' father never referred to him as either Eldrick or Tiger, instead calling him Sam since the day he was born.
Eldrick, or 'E' as it is sometimes shortened to, was chosen by Woods' mother, Kultida, because it started with the same letter as his father's name, Earl, and ended with the first letter of her own name. Kultida Woods, who passed away at the age of 80 in February 2025, was a pillar of support for Woods throughout his career. She witnessed both his triumphs, including his first Masters victory at 21 in 1997, and his struggles, such as the 2009 personal scandal that cost him his first marriage and millions in endorsement deals.
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Frequently asked questions
Tiger Woods' real name is Eldrick Tont Woods.
The nickname Tiger was given to Woods by his father, in honour of his close friend in the army, Colonel Vuong Dang Phong, who was also referred to as 'Tiger'.
It is believed that Woods' mother chose the name Eldrick because it starts with the letter 'E', the same as his father's name, Earl. Additionally, 'Tont' is a traditional Thai name meaning 'beginning' in English.
While competing on the amateur circuit, Woods was known as Eldrick Woods. By the time he turned professional in 1996, he had adopted the nickname Tiger.
