On Roseanne, why was "Kevin Nealy" later re-introduced as "David Nealy"?

Question

What was the reason for the name change?

Answer 1

Who knows why shows do stuff like that. In the very first episode on Roseanne, DJ was a different kid.....but only in that one episode. They always do weird stuff like that.

Answer 2

Because at the time Johnny Galecki started work on Roseanne he was also appearing on another show, where his character was named David.  They had wanted his name to be David but they thought it would be too confusing for audiences.  When the other show was cancelled they changed his name.

Answer 3

According to IMDB, his name was originally Kevin Healy and later changed to David Healy (not Nealy).

"Johnny Galecki was first introduced as "Kevin Healy", but immediately became "David" from his second appearance on. The reason for this was that Johnny was appearing on another show at the time with the character name of "David", which is what Roseanne Barr wanted to call him. Broadcasting rules at the time prevented an actor from appearing on two different, non-related shows using the same name (unless it was their real/stage name). By the time Johnny made his second appearance on the show, his other job had ended, and they were free to call his character "David Healy", as originally intended.

Roseanne later makes an in-joke in reference to this situation, when she is arguing with Dan and says, "David's not even his real name! Darlene made it up!"