Cardi B. | Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar

Although there are plenty of established names in the music industry, there’s no denying that new artists still have a shot at garnering an incredible degree of praise and recognition under the spotlight. Well, such was the case for Cardi B. Initially becoming a well-known figure on the social media platforms Instagram and Vine, she received even more recognition when she established herself as a rapper.

Fans who follow the rapper/songwriter on social media probably know the reason behind her name. Born Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar, the rapper’s stage name is linked to her childhood nickname. This was because the Bodak Yellow singer’s sister’s name is Hennessy, so the people she grew up with decided to call her Bacardi. Now, remove the first syllable, and there you have it. For the “B” that comes after, Almánzar claims it can mean a variety of things depending on the day – it could be her real name, or it could be short for adjectives like “beautiful.”