The reason behind Gigi Hadid's name change goes beyond wanting something that's easier to pronounce, sounds more "American", or sounds more official. The truth is, the name "Gigi" holds sentimental value for Hadid. Similar to Miley Cyrus' name change story, Hadid was referred to by her childhood nickname, Gigi, so often that she eventually began to identify with that name even more than her birth one.
"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 told Vogue.
As it turns out, the nickname runs in the family, with the model telling the outlet, "My mom was called that as a kid by her mother when she was younger, but only around the house." She added, "I was called that around the house when I was really young, kind of like how my mom was called it." Now that Hadid has a daughter of her own, we can't help but wonder if she'll continue the family tradition and pass down the nickname.
