Olivia Wilde's Real Name: Olivia Jane Cockburn

Quick answer: Olivia Wilde's birth name is Olivia Jane Cockburn. She was born on March 10, 1984, in New York City, and works under Olivia Wilde—a professional surname taken from Irish author Oscar Wilde.

Real name and early life

Profiles and credit databases identify Olivia Jane Cockburn, born March 10, 1984, in New York City to British journalists Leslie Cockburn and Andrew Cockburn (IMDb biography; Encyclopedia.com). Cockburn is the family surname of a well-known journalistic clan; Jane is the middle name. She was raised partly in Washington, D.C., attended Georgetown Day School, and studied briefly at Bard College before leaving for acting. For professional billing she adopted Wilde, nodding to Oscar Wilde, rather than using Cockburn on posters.

Career highlights

Early TV included Skin and The O.C.; breakthrough came as Dr. Remy “Thirteen” Hadley on Fox’s House (2007–2012), a skeptical diagnostic fellow whose arc spanned multiple seasons. Film roles span Tron: Legacy (2010), Cowboys & Aliens (2011), Her (2013), Rush (2013), and Vinyl. She moved into directing with the acclaimed teen comedy Booksmart (2019) and the thriller Don’t Worry Darling (2022), which she also starred in. Activism and producing work (including Time’s Up-era advocacy) accompany screen credits. She was married to Tao Ruspoli (2003–2011) and later had two children with actor Jason Sudeikis; a later relationship with Harry Styles was widely covered during Don’t Worry Darling press. Trade coverage of Don’t Worry Darling kept the Wilde billing even when tabloids focused on off-screen relationships. Across acting and directing credits, the professional surname stayed Wilde; the documented birth name is Olivia Jane Cockburn.

Directing awards attention for Booksmart reframed her public identity from TV doctor to filmmaker without altering the Wilde professional surname.

Name notes for searchers

Wilde is a chosen professional surname, not a married name from Ruspoli or Sudeikis. Prefer IMDb biography summaries that cite the Cockburn parents and major features over gossip blogs. Search results for “Cockburn” can surface unrelated journalists in the same family; match the 1984 New York birth and House credit. Wikipedia is useful only as a pointer after primary citations.

Children? Two with Jason Sudeikis (Otis and Daisy), per widely reported profiles.