Keira Knightley: I'm named after a Russian ice skater that my dad fancied

Keira Knightley has revealed that she was a "spelling error".

The 29-year-old said her name was supposed to read 'Kiera' after a Russian ice skater, but her mother's bad spelling left her with the "error" Keira.

"I was meant to be named "Kiera", after a Russian ice skater who was on the TV one day", she told ELLE UK.

"My dad fancied her and nicked her name for me. But it was my mum who went to register my birth, and she accidentally spelled ‘ei’ instead of ‘ie’ because my mum’s c**p at spelling."

Knightley - whose mother is playwright Sharman Macdonald - continued: "Apparently, when she came back he said 'What the f**k? You’ve spelt her name wrong!' What were they going to do, though? Once it’s on the piece of paper, it’s on the piece of paper. And that’s me. A spelling error."

The Academy Award nominated actress, who is expecting her first child with husband James Righton, also opened up about hating conformity.

She told ELLE: "Break the rules. I’ve always hated the idea that you should be wearing this or that, because it makes me feel like I’m getting everything wrong. I hated it at school, and I don’t want it as an adult.

"If you want to wear a f****** flowerpot on your head and that makes you happy, then wear a f****** flowerpot on your head."

Full interview appears in the March issue of ELLE UK, on sale January 29. Also available as a digital edition

Read more at Elle.co.uk