Gigi Hadid has been in front of the camera since she was barely out of diapers. She landed her first campaign with Guess shortly after being discovered by Paul Marciano at just 2 years old. From there, her modeling career only accelerated, with Hadid’s face eventually appearing on major magazine covers, towering billboards, and the world’s most prestigious fashion runways.
However, what many fans may not realize is that “Gigi” isn’t her birth name. In a 2015 interview with Vogue, Gigi revealed that the nickname was lovingly given to her during grade school by her mother, former “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star Yolanda Hadid. Her full name is Jelena Noura Hadid.
How Gigi Hadid Ended up Going by Her Nickname
GettyGigi Hadid was born Jelena Noura Hadid on April 23, 1995, to real estate developer Mohamed Hadid and former model Yolanda Hadid. While fans know Gigi for her incredible modeling career, many were also introduced to her family through earlier seasons of “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills,” where her parents, who divorced in 2000, offered a glimpse into their lavish lifestyle and stunning homes.
Speaking to Vogue, Gigi opened up about why she doesn’t go by her real name, Jelena, sharing that “Gigi” was a nickname that stuck around since she was a kid.
“My mom was called that as a kid by her mother when she was younger, but only around the house. I was called that around the house when I was really young,” she began.
“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?’ And my mom was like, ‘I call her Gigi sometimes,’ and the name stuck,” she added.
Gigi also grew up alongside siblings with equally distinctive names. Her younger sister, Bella Hadid, was born two years later and is formerly named Isabella Khair Hadid. The sisters also share a younger brother, Anwar Hadid, born in 1999.
Hadid’s Daughter’s Unique Name & Meaning
GettyGigi became a mom in September 2020, when she and former One Direction star Zayn Malik welcomed a daughter named Khai.
According to People, the model welcomed her daughter at home, surrounded by her mom, sister, and Malik when Khai was born. The former couple later announced her arrival on social media with Malik sharing a black-and-white photo of his newborn holding his thumb and wrote on X, “Our baby girl is here, healthy & beautiful.”
“To try put into words how i am feeling right now would be an impossible task. The love i feel for this tiny human is beyond my understanding.Grateful to know her, proud to call her mine, & thankful for the life we will have together x,” he added.
According to Grazia, the name Khai is of Arabic origins and “reportedly relates to royalty and translates to “crowned” or “the chosen one.”
Gigi and Malik later ended their relationship in October 2021.
