Based on the board game Identity Crisis (created by Laura Robinson and Richard Gerrits), the series was developed by Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Coquette Productions and was originally pitched as a primetime series for CBS with Craig Ferguson as host.

[3] Ferguson has won two Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Game Show Host in 2015 and 2016.

In round one, the celebrity gives the clues while turning back and forth to alternately face each contestant, and each correct answer is worth $100, up to $1,000 total.

In round two, one of the two contestants gives clues while alternately facing either the remaining partner or the assigned celebrity, and each answer is worth $200, up to $2,000 total.

[5][6][7][8] In June 2011, it was reported that Courteney Cox and David Arquette's Coquette Productions were preparing to pilot a new, hour-long game show for CBS's primetime lineup known as Identity Crisis, based on a board game of the same name produced by Out and About Productions.

Ferguson remained with the project through its transition to syndication, considering it to be "a wonderful concept with such great potential, from two of my favorite people".

[1] Debmar-Mercury and Fremantle planned to market the new series to station owners as a complement to Family Feud—whose current incarnation, hosted by fellow comedian Steve Harvey, has been a ratings success for the two companies.

[2][6] In November 2013, Tribune Broadcasting picked up Celebrity Name Game for its stations, giving it clearance across 40% of U.S. households and seven of the top ten media markets.

[10] In December 2013, it reached 80% of households through additional deals with CBS Television Stations and Sinclair Broadcast Group; episodes were also added to the primetime national clearance slate of MyNetworkTV.

[13] A board game based on the show featuring Craig Ferguson on the cover was released by PlayMonster[14][15] (formerly Patch) in 2016.

A Portuguese version of the show called Duelo das Estrelas[16] (Duel of the Stars) hosted by Silvio Nascimento aired on MundoFox in 2016.

[17][18] It was hosted by Grant Denyer, who previously presented the most recent Australian version of Family Feud.