Is Zendaya her real name? - Social Media Lessons

Zendaya is an actress and singer who has become hugely popular in recent years thanks to roles in hit films and TV shows like Spider-Man, Euphoria, and more. Her unique name has led many fans to wonder – is Zendaya her real name, or is it a stage name?

What is Zendaya’s full name?

Zendaya’s full name is Zendaya Maree Stoermer Coleman. She was born Zendaya Maree Stoermer on September 1, 1996 in Oakland, California. Her parents are Claire Marie Stoermer and Kazembe Ajamu Coleman. Here is a breakdown of the origins and meanings behind each part of Zendaya’s full name:

Zendaya – This is her first name. It’s pronounced “ZEN-day-uh”. The name Zendaya is of African origin and means “to give thanks” in the Shona language of Zimbabwe.

Maree – This is Zendaya’s middle name. It’s a variant spelling of Marie or Mary.
Stoermer – This is Zendaya’s birth last name, from her mother’s side of the family. It’s likely of German origin.
Coleman – This is Zendaya’s current last name, from her father’s side. It’s an English occupational name referring to a person who makes charcoal.

So while “Zendaya” is her real and original first name, her last name at birth was Stoermer. She later adopted her father’s last name of Coleman as her legal last name.

Why does Zendaya go by just her first name?

Using just her first name as her stage name was a strategic career move for Zendaya. Some of the possible reasons she chose to go by “Zendaya” include:

Uniqueness – “Zendaya” stands out from common names and is memorable.

Meaning – She has stated her name means “to give thanks”, which provides a positive meaning.
Simplicity – It’s catchy and easy to say and remember.
Branding – Going by just her first name created a sense of intimacy with fans.

Differentiation – It avoided confusion with other celebrities named Coleman.

The one-word stage name follows a tradition of other famous celebrities like Madonna, Cher, and Beyoncé who are known by just their first names.

What has Zendaya said about her name?

Zendaya has openly discussed her name and its origins in several interviews. Here’s what she has said about the story behind her unique name:

“My name means ‘to give thanks’ in Shona. I’m American but my dad is from Zimbabwe.”
“It’s pretty cool I can just go by Zendaya, kind of reminds you of a pop star or something.”
“I get a lot of questions about my name. People always think it’s a stage name or something, but nope – it’s totally real!”

“I’m really lucky to have such a special name with a beautiful meaning.”

So in Zendaya’s own words, her first name is 100% real and given to her by her family. She seems proud of its origins and meaning.

How do you pronounce Zendaya?

Since Zendaya isn’t a common English name, many fans wonder how exactly to pronounce it. Zendaya herself has offered guidance:

The pronunciation is “ZEN-day-uh”.
It’s pronounced with three syllables: ZEN-day-uh.
The stress is on the middle syllable: ZEN-day-uh.

The “Z” is pronounced as a “Z”, not an “S”.

So the next time you talk about the actress and singer, you’ll know the proper pronunciation is ZEN-day-uh! She’s helpfully emphasized the right way to say her name in interviews to clear up any confusion.

What nicknames does she have?

With a distinctive name like Zendaya, she’s picked up some equally unique nicknames from family, friends, and fans. Some of her well-known nicknames include:

Daya – A shortened version of her name used by close friends and family.
Z – Short and simple, some friends call her just the first letter.
Zen – Inspired by the first three letters of her name.

Zswag – A fun nickname that plays on her name and confident attitude.
Shake – Her childhood nickname because she was always a bubbly “shaken up” kid.

Zendaya doesn’t seem to have one nickname she prefers over the others. But she enjoys the creativity and meaning behind each one from the people who care about her.

Does she have a last name?

Yes, Zendaya does legally have a last name, even if she doesn’t use it professionally. As mentioned earlier, her birth name was Zendaya Maree Stoermer. Her current legal last name is Coleman, adopted from her father.

So her full name on official documents would be Zendaya Maree Coleman. The last name Coleman comes from her father’s side of the family, whose ancestry traces back to England.

Some fans have wondered if “Zendaya” was her whole legal name since she goes by just the one word publicly. But Zendaya Coleman is still her formal name on legal paperwork and records.

Could Zendaya change her name?

Like any adult, Zendaya has the right to legally change her name if she ever decided to. There’s been no indication so far that she has any desire to do so though.

She seems perfectly content going by just “Zendaya” in her career and advocating for her unique name. It would be unlikely for her to change it unless she experienced a major life event where a name change felt appropriate and meaningful.

As long as her single-word stage name keeps working for her brand, there’s little reason to expect she’ll add a last name or change it altogether. Her name has become so recognized worldwide that maintaining it as “Zendaya” makes the most sense for continuity.

Could she release music under a different name?

There’s a chance Zendaya could choose to release music or other creative projects under an alternate stage name in the future. Many celebrities use different names for different artistic endeavors.

For example, rapper/actor Donald Glover releases music under the name Childish Gambino. Bruno Mars is known by his stage name but his given name is Peter Gene Hernandez.

If Zendaya wanted to explore a different musical genre than she’s known for or separate an artistic persona from her acting career, adopting an alter ego name isn’t out of the question. There are currently no signs she plans to, but the possibility exists if she wanted to reinvent herself.

Why does her name attract attention?

Zendaya’s memorable name attracts so much attention because it’s unique in several key ways:

It’s gender-neutral – Zendaya works well for a boy or girl name.
It’s ethnically ambiguous – Many are unfamiliar with its African origins.

It’s pronounced uniquely – The “daya” ending stands out.
It’s a one-word name – Those are very rare in the Western world.
It has a beautiful meaning – Translating to “give thanks” makes it more striking.

For all of those reasons combined, Zendaya manages to achieve the near-impossible: an unforgettable, intriguing name that rolls off the tongue smoothly and piques curiosity about its roots. No wonder it’s served her so well in establishing a flourishing career and brand.

Conclusion

In the end, Zendaya is indeed the actress’s real, given name at birth. While she was born Zendaya Maree Stoermer, she eventually adopted the legal last name Coleman from her father’s side. The Zimbabwean name Zendaya translates to “to give thanks”, and perfectly suits her cheerful, grateful personality that fans around the world have come to know and love.

While we may not hear about name changes or alter egos anytime soon, the 22-year-old star is still at the beginning of her career. As she continues to display her versatility and talent, who knows what other memorable names she may take on in Hollywood and the music industry down the road! For now, she seems perfectly content rocking the memorable moniker of Zendaya.