Source: Paras Griffin / Getty
We could be the only ones who hadn’t noticed, but Toya Wright no longer goes by Toya Wright.
The 36-year-old recently changed her name online from Wright, which was the name she picked up from her second marriage to Mickey “Memphitz” Wright, back to her maiden name of Johnson, or Antonia Johnson. It’s the first time she’s publicly gone as that since becoming a public figure through her first marriage to rapper Lil Wayne (2004-2006). At that time, she went as Toya Carter.
She actually hinted that she was going to make the move back in December:
She also shared an image of herself with daughter Reign, seemingly making it official by referring to herself as Johnson.
“Happy Holidays from me and my little sunshine,” she wrote. “Love, Toya Johnson & Reign Rushing!”
The name change comes after she and partner Robert “Red” Rushing announced in late November that they were engaged.
“Yes! Yes! And Yes!” she wrote at the time. “For humbling my spirit, for restoring my faith in love, for raising the bar, for being all of what a man should be. For each of these and more I SAY YES!💠looking forward to forever with you.”
It seems that the mother and reality TV personality may have wanted to go back to her maiden name after she and Rushing decided to take that next official step in their relationship, which makes sense. Instead of going from one ex’s last name to another man’s as she had done in the past, she went back to her roots.
Interesting enough, Memphitz had stated publicly, while angry, that he didn’t want his ex keeping his surname following their split, but she was pretty quiet about what her plans were. And while she kept the name for years following their separation and filing for divorce in 2016, likely because she had made a name for herself with Wright, she entered into the new year with a fresh start with the help of an old name.
