Aaron Taylor-Johnson's Real Name: Aaron Perry Johnson

Quick answer: Aaron Taylor-Johnson was born Aaron Perry Johnson. He was born on June 13, 1990, in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England, and works under Aaron Taylor-Johnson—combining his birth surname with his wife’s surname after marriage.

Real name and early life

Britannica and the Library of Congress identify birth name Aaron Perry Johnson, born June 13, 1990, in High Wycombe, England (Britannica; LOC). He began acting as a child on British television and in films, using Aaron Johnson before adopting the hyphenated professional name Taylor-Johnson after marrying filmmaker Sam Taylor-Wood (now Sam Taylor-Johnson). Early credits include Tom & Thomas, Shanghai Knights, and the BBC drama Nearly Famous.

Career highlights

He broke out as John Lennon in Nowhere Boy (2009), directed by Sam Taylor-Wood, then starred as Dave Lizewski / Kick-Ass in Kick-Ass (2010) and its sequel. Marvel audiences know him as Pietro Maximoff / Quicksilver in Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015). Other major roles include Anna Karenina, Godzilla (2014), Nocturnal Animals (winning a Golden Globe for supporting work in the anthology segments’ framing), Tenet, No Time to Die, and Robert Eggers’s Nosferatu (2024). Child and teen credits on British TV built the foundation for later franchise and auteur work; international press still sometimes files early posters under Aaron Johnson, so both name forms appear in older databases. He and Sam Taylor-Johnson have several children together. Critics frequently note his physical commitment to roles ranging from comic-book speedsters to period horror, keeping the hyphenated billing consistent since the name change. He continues to bill as Aaron Taylor-Johnson; the documented birth name is Aaron Perry Johnson.

Name notes for searchers

Early posters and databases list Aaron Johnson; after marriage he legally and professionally became Aaron Taylor-Johnson. Taylor is from his spouse’s surname, not a middle name. Prefer Britannica and LOC for the Perry middle name and High Wycombe birthplace.