SoCal Val‘s original surname was actually an homage to one of pro wrestling’s most memorable personalities in Missy Hyatt.
Speaking on GAW TV, SoCal Val shared that her original ring name, Valerie Elizabeth Wyndham, was partially inspired by Hyatt, who was a guest on the show.
SoCal Val explained how her gimmick was based on Stephanie McMahon, someone she’s been open about being inspired by. Val said that the promoter coined the “SoCal” part, but she wanted something else with more depth. Val chose her middle name, Elizabeth, after Miss Elizabeth, and had an interesting explanation for how she chose her last name.
“So doing shows early on in Southern California, around 2002, they said, ‘We need you to have a fancy name,’ but they wanted me to have a bratty rich bitch kind of character, which of course I loved. They said, ‘Okay, you said your name could be Valerie, with a V.’ It was already Victoria,” she explained. “They said, ‘Valerie could work, and you could be Val, and you’re SoCal. SoCal Val.’
“I said fine. But then when I started doing modeling and things, I thought I should have ‘Valerie something,’ some sort of a name on the end. So I gave myself a three-barrel name. I thought, ‘Well, Valerie is kind of like Stephanie.’ Stephanie McMahon, who I loved and emulated. Elizabeth was a little homage to Miss Elizabeth. But really my last name, I thought it’s gotta be something as an homage to Missy Hyatt,” Val explained.
“Missy Hyatt, for those taking score at home, for a lot of the kids that are new to classic, amazing, inspirational people in wrestling like Missy Hyatt, [she was] Paris Hilton before Paris Hilton was a thing, was the hotel heiress gimmick legitimately. So I thought, ‘Okay Wyndham is a hotel chain. Hyatt is a hotel chain.’ So that’s why I named myself Valerie Wyndham after you as an homage because I loved everything you were about. I think you’re amazing,” she said to Hyatt.
Val said that Missy Hyatt embodied everything she wanted to be in a performer. Missy played a spoiled character, but she also had confidence and strength that inspired many people.
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