Snoop Dogg, one of the most iconic names in the hip-hop industry, has a fascinating journey to his renowned stage moniker.

Snoop Dogg’s journey has come full circle, as he recently had the honor of performing with Dre during the Super Bowl halftime show. Furthermore, he made a significant acquisition by purchasing Death Row Records in early February 2022.

Born as Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., Snoop Dogg has adopted several stage names throughout his career. These names include Snoop Doggy Dogg, Big Snoop Dogg, and Snoop Lion, as reported by Classic Hip Hop Magazine. However, it is the name Snoop Dogg that has stood the test of time and become synonymous with his remarkable musical legacy. This moniker has roots in his childhood, originating from a fond nickname that has now become iconic in the world of West Coast rap.

Snoop Dogg’s surname was influenced by his family.

Snoop Dogg, originally named Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., owes his iconic nickname to his mother’s creative choice during his childhood. He became “Snoop” because his mother saw a resemblance between him and Snoopy, the beloved dog character from the Peanuts cartoon, as noted by Biography. While he adopted “Snoop Dogg” as his stage name, he paid subtle homage to the Peanuts character in one of his early hits, “Who Am I (What’s My Name)?.” In this track, he cleverly included lyrics that nodded to Snoopy, with lines like, “I know his name / C’mon Snoopy, c’mon Snoopy (The bomb) / And the Dogg Pound,” as highlighted by Genius.

In a candid 2013 interview with Vlad TV, Snoop shared the intriguing evolution of his stage name. He revealed that his initial rap alias was “Snoop Rock-Ski,” inspired by Kool Rock-Ski, a member of The Fat Boys. However, as his career progressed, he decided to fuse parts of a relative’s name into his moniker, leading to “Snoop Doggy Dogg” in the early stages of his journey. Snoop Dogg elaborated on the transformation, stating, “As I got older, I became Snoop Dogg, and then my cousin … his name was Tate Doggy Dogg, and I just liked the way that Doggy Dogg sounded. So I was like, I gotta have that.” This combination of his childhood nickname and his cousin’s influence led to a memorable and enduring stage persona that has become synonymous with Snoop’s extraordinary career.