Throwback Hits. Bruno Mars' real name is Peter Gene Hernandez. He was born on 8th October 1985 in Honolulu, Hawaii. At age two, he was nicknamed Bruno by his father because of his resemblance Early Life Born Peter Gene Hernandez on October 8, 1985, in Honolulu, Hawaii, singer-songwriter Bruno Mars grew up in a very musical family. His father, Pete, was a Latin percussionist from Bruno Mars' real name is actually Peter Gene Hernandez. WHAT?! Baby Peter (lol) got given the nickname Bruno by his father when he was two because he apparently bore striking resemblance to a famous wrestler called Bruno and he added Mars to his name because a lot of girls would tell him that he was 'out of this world' Y4cDBT.