Have you ever wondered what your fave celeb’s names came from? Come take a look at who these famous figures really are.
Cardi B
Belcalis Almanzar was nicknamed “Cardi B” after the rum brand Bacardi. “My sister’s name is Hennessy, so everybody used to be like ‘Bacardi’ to me,” the rapper told The Wendy Williams Show. “The ‘B’ stands for whatever, depending on the day…beautiful or bully.”
Gigi Hadid
This top supermodel’s birth name is actually Jelena Noura Hadid. The nickname “Gigi” came from her mother, who used it around the house when the model was young. “In first or second grade, there was a girl named Helena and it got confusing with the teacher who had to call out our names,” Hadid told Vogue. “So the teacher asked my mom, ‘If I needed to call Jelena a nickname, what would it be?’ And my mom was like, ‘I call her Gigi sometimes,’ and the name stuck.”
Lorde
The “Solar Power” singer’s real name is Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor. Yup, that’s a handful! Lorde was eventually drawn to her current name because of her longtime obsession with nobility and aristocracy. “I hit upon ‘Lord’ and loved the way it sounded, and then I was like, it would be quite cool to add an E to feminize it,” she told 60 Minutes.
Bruno Mars
Born Peter Gene Hernandez, this international pop star was nicknamed “Bruno” at a very young age mostly because he resembled the professional wrestler Bruno Sammartino. He later on went with the last name “Mars” because he was so “out of this world.” Very clever!
Joaquin Phoenix
Joaquin Phoenix wasn’t always Jaoquin Phoenix. His given name was Joaquin Rafael Bottom before his parents decided in 1979 that Phoenix, a mythical, fiery bird that rose up from the ashes, was a better surname. It’s say to safe that the name change was a good choice.
Jamie Foxx
Eric Marlon Bishop had a pretty good reason for going with his current name. While on the Late Show with David Letterman, the singer/actor/comedian explained that back in the day, female comedians weren’t common in the stand-up circuit. As such, they were always guaranteed a slot. “So I went to the list and wrote down unisex names. Stacy Green, Tracy Brown…Jamie Foxx!,” Foxx shared. “And I’m the first guy called. He goes, ‘Jamie Foxx, is she here?’ I said, ‘No, brother, that’s me.’ And then I go onstage and I get a standing ovation.”
