Bravo Insider Exclusive!

Create a free profile to get unlimited access to exclusive videos, sweepstakes, and more!

Sign Up for Free to View
The Daily Dish The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

What Is Gigi Hadid's Real Name?

Yolanda Foster's little girl wasn't born with her famous moniker.

By Jocelyn Vena

Gigi Hadid has made a name for herself in the world of modeling under the name, well, Gigi. But most people may not realize that it's not the 19-year-old stunner's real name.

How to Watch

Watch The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills on Peacock and the Bravo App.

So what's her birth name? Jelena Noura Hadid. And if fans are wondering how she acquired her more famous moniker, Gigi explained it to Style.com earlier this year. Her famous mom, Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Yolanda Foster, dreamed up the nickname for her girl.

"My mom was called that as a kid by her mother when she was younger, but only around the house," Gigi said. "I was called that around the house when I was really young, kind of like how my mom was called it."

But once Gigi started going to school, her nickname quickly became her primary name. "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, and so the teacher asked my mom, 'If I needed to call Jelena a nickname, what would it be?'" Gigi recalled. "And my mom was like, 'I call her Gigi sometimes,' and the name stuck."

[Source: Style.com]

Want the latest Bravo updates? Text us for breaking news and more!