Snoop Dogg reveals 'savage' reason why his mom gave him the 'universally known' rap name

LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA: Hip-hop legend Snoop Dogg, born Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr, has been a dominant force in music for decades, yet many fans are only just learning the charming family story behind his iconic stage name.

Despite selling over 37 million albums worldwide and being a household name, Snoop’s birth name has long taken a backseat to the persona he’s crafted over his long career.

Snoop Dogg shares origins of his iconic nickname

Recently, Snoop Dogg shared the story behind his nickname with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt.

“My mother’d say, ‘You watch [Snoopy the dog] so much, you startin' to look like him,’” he explained.

“So she started calling me Snoopy. That’s the only name my mother called me my whole life.”

In fact, Snoop revealed that his mother never used his real name, stating, “I owned the name in every space I entered from the playground to the classroom to the chapel, I was known universally as Snoopy.”

This revelation was met with delight and surprise by fans on Reddit, where reactions poured in.

According to Mirror, one fan humorously noted, "Savage! Literally roasted by his own mother haha."

The rapper was reportedly born on October 20, 1971, in Long Beach, California, to Beverly Tate and Vernell Varnado.

Tate died in 2021 at the age of 70. 

Snoop Dogg's had a temporary name change in 2012

Though fans may only now be discovering the roots of his nickname, Snoop Dogg’s journey to stardom began long ago.

He burst onto the scene in 1992 with D. Dre’s hit track 'Deep Cover', followed by his 1993 debut album 'Doggystyle' under Death Row Records, which quickly rose to number one.

The album produced some of the most iconic hip-hop anthems, including 'Who Am I? (What's My Name?)' and 'Gin and Juice'.

However, his rise wasn’t without controversy. In 1993, Snoop found himself at the center of a legal storm, facing first-degree murder charges in the death of a rival gang member.

After years of courtroom battles, he was acquitted on February 20, 1996.

Snoop’s career continued to thrive, with notable collaborations like the 1996 track '2 of Amerikaz Most Wanted' alongside Tupac Shakur, one of the last hits before Shakur’s untimely death.

Snoop has also undergone his own transformation. In 2012, he announced a temporary name change to Snoop Lion, a moniker given to him by a Rastafari priest in Jamaica.

This shift reflected his exploration of reggae and a spiritual journey, but by 2015, Snoop returned to his original name when he launched his album 'Bush'.