It’s no surprise that Zendaya has become one of the hottest stars in Hollywood. From her Disney Channel days on Shake It Up to her more recent critically acclaimed roles like Spider-Man and Euphoria, she’s certainly made a name for herself in the entertainment industry!
But how did this amazing actress and singer get her unique name? Zendaya was born Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman on September 1, 1996, in Oakland, California. Why’d she drop the Coleman?
Here’s why Zendaya doesn’t use her last name
Zendaya’s father chose her name from the Shona language which translates to “to give thanks”. She is the only child of Claire Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman, who was born Samuel David Coleman before he reclaimed his African heritage.
When asked why she adopted just her first name as her stage name back in 2016 by Allure Magazine, Zendaya said it simply sounded cool like other iconic one-name celebs such as Cher or Prince. And she was right!
Nowadays you can find many celebrities making use of just their first names for artistic expression such as Madonna, Beyoncé, Rihanna, Björk, Ciara, and Adele.
Fun fact: If you’ve ever wondered how to say her name right, it’s pronounced “zen-day-uh”, not “zen-die-yah”.
But what makes this whole thing even cooler is that each component of her empowering first name has an important meaning: An African first shape with a French-inspired middle followed by her parents’ last names – Stoermer and Coleman – reflecting an entire timeline of history within her own moniker.
It’s no wonder we all love Zendaya with her inspiring story woven together into one unique name and captivating talent.
Leave a Reply