Jay-Z has gone by more names than almost any artist in hip hop history, and unlike a lot of celebrity nicknames, most of his actually trace back to specific stories he’s told himself over the years. Born Shawn Corey Carter in Brooklyn, he built an entire persona out of nicknames long before he became one … Read more
Frank Sinatra picked up more nicknames than almost any entertainer of the twentieth century, and unlike a lot of celebrity nicknames, most of his actually have a clear, documented story behind them. Some came from his physical appearance, some from his business decisions, and at least one came from an old childhood scar he’d rather … Read more
Burna Boy has picked up a handful of nicknames throughout his career, and unlike a lot of artists who get labeled by fans or the press, most of his came from Burna Boy himself. Here’s where each one actually came from and what it really means. Burna Boy Before getting into his nicknames, it helps … Read more
Rihanna’s story starts with a genuine surprise for a lot of casual fans, since Rihanna is actually her middle name, not the name her own family calls her. From there, she’s picked up a handful of well documented nicknames, including one she built herself into an entire public persona. Here’s where they actually came from. … Read more
Lil Wayne has collected more nicknames than almost any other rapper, partly because he has spent decades creating new ones and weaving them directly into his lyrics.Some trace back to a grandmother’s pet name for him as a child, others to the mentor who signed him as a preteen. Here’s where his most documented nicknames … Read more
Taylor Swift has picked up a wide range of nicknames over more than two decades in music, some simple shorthand from fans, one coined by a fellow artist during an awards show parody song, and at least one that started as a genuine secret identity. Here’s where her most documented nicknames actually came from. Tay … Read more
Selena Gomez’s name itself carries a story most fans don’t know. Over nearly two decades in the public eye, she’s picked up a small set of genuine nicknames, along with a well known fictional alter ego from her breakout Disney Channel role. Here’s what’s actually documented. Where The Name Selena Actually Comes From Before getting … Read more
Kim Kardashian has picked up a handful of nicknames over nearly two decades in the public eye, some from her own family’s naming traditions, others tied directly to a business she built and later had to reconsider. Here’s where her most documented nicknames actually came from. Kiki, Keeks, And Her Family’s Nickname Tradition Kiki is … Read more
Few artists have built as elaborate a system of alter egos into their career as Nicki Minaj. Rather than picking up nicknames from fans or the press, she’s created most of her own personas herself, using them to explore different sides of her personality across more than a decade of music. Here’s where her most … Read more
Few true crime cases from the 20th century have left as lasting a mark on popular culture as Ed Gein’s. His crimes, uncovered in rural Wisconsin in 1957, shocked the country and went on to directly inspire some of horror’s most iconic fictional killers. Along with that infamy came a handful of nicknames that have … Read more