Dove Cameron's Real Name: Chloe Celeste Hosterman

Quick answer: Dove Cameron was born Chloe Celeste Hosterman and later legally changed her name. "Dove" was what her father, Philip Hosterman, called her, and she adopted it in his honor after his death when she was 15. TV Insider gives her birth date as January 15, 1996, in Seattle. She became a Disney star in Liv and Maddie and as Mal in Descendants (Popsugar; Teen Vogue).

Real name and early life

Popsugar reports that the actress "was born Chloe Celeste Hosterman but decided to legally change it." Teen Vogue likewise notes she "was first named Chloe" and identifies her father as Philip Alan Hosterman. Both quote her 2017 reply to a fan on Twitter: "My father always called me Dove. He took his own life when I was 15. I didn't get to say goodbye, so I changed it in honor of him." The Library of Congress name authority files her as "Cameron, Dove" from a Liv and Maddie soundtrack credit but records no birth name. Her current name therefore rests on these press reports and her own public statement.

TV Insider says she was born in Seattle and moved to Los Angeles as a young teenager to pursue acting. She had performed in local theater from age eight. TV Insider's bio text gives January 14, but its profile header gives January 15, 1996.

Career highlights

After bit parts on Shameless and The Mentalist, Cameron landed the lead as identical twins Liv and Maddie Rooney on Disney Channel's Liv and Maddie (2013–17). TV Insider says the pilot was the network's most-watched show in nearly three years. She played Mal in the TV film Descendants (2015) and its sequels in 2017 and 2019, and voiced the role in Descendants: The Royal Wedding (2021).

She played Amber in NBC's Hairspray Live! (2016) and Bekah Colter in Netflix's Dumplin' (2018), and voiced Ella in The Angry Birds Movie 2 (2019). Popsugar also notes her recurring role on Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and her turn as Cher in an off-Broadway Clueless musical. Later she starred in Apple TV+'s musical comedy Schmigadoon! (2021) and appeared in Vengeance (2022). TV Insider credits her as Ciara Wyse in the 2026 series 56 Days. She has also built a pop music career alongside acting.

Name notes for searchers

Chloe Celeste Hosterman is her birth name. Dove was her father's nickname for her, and she made it her legal first name in his memory. The reports used here don't say where the surname Cameron comes from, so this page doesn't speculate.