Reading that the famous Cardi B’s real name is Belcalis Marlenis Almánzar might leave you wondering how she went from her birth name to her professional alias.
Cardi B, born Belcalis, got her name after deriving it from a childhood nickname. Due to her sister being named “Hennessy”, Belcalis would be nicknamed “Bacardi”, after the brand of her rum. Eventually, she shortened it to “Cardi B”.
Cardi B had adopted that name long before she was as famous as she is today. She has consistently carried the name in some form all through her journey to fame, charted from her early days as a standout name on social media, all the way through to her enormous boom in popularity as a performer.
How Long Has She Been Cardi B?
Cardi B started off her career as a celebrity on social media platforms Vine and Instagram. Starting from the very beginning of her future run to fame, she had been working under the name Bacardi B.
In an interview, however, she stated that the reason she would eventually come to modify her name Bacardi into future household name Cardi B was that her accounts were being continuously deleted. In the same interview, Cardi B speculates that the reasons for the deletion were most likely to do with the fact she was going by the name “Bacardi”.
While that certainly clears up the ‘Cardi’ portion of her name, what does the ‘B’ stand for? Cardi B says that it all depends on entirely what day it is, throwing out two potential possibilities as a start: Beautiful or Bully.
In those days, the name Cardi B would be a far cry away from being associated with the chart-topping performer that she would later become. As part of a new generation of social media stars on the now-defunct Vine, the name Cardi B would begin to accrue more and more fame as her follower count would enjoy steady growth at the hands of her personable and raw style of content.
Eventually, she would also begin to develop a similarly large audience as “iamcardib” on Instagram, at which point the unbridled popularity she was experiencing on the platforms would jump-start her career, in the form of an opportunity to be on the VH1 reality TV show ‘Love & Hip Hop: New York’.
Keeping The Name Cardi B
Even before she was a recognized and respected performer, she would carry over her long-held alias to the reality TV show that she had been invited to join. The show starred many performers and contributors to the rap scene in the city of New York, all with their own aspirations or issues revolving around the industry.
This was the moment that the name Cardi B would begin to become most well-known by the public at large. The personable and charismatic attitude combined with talent from the New York native would solidify her as one of the must-watch stars of the show. When combined with the following she had nurtured in her social media sphere and the reception she received during her stint on the reality TV show, her apparent aspirations in the world of music would continue one step closer to being fulfilled.
Cardi B, Songwriter, and Rapper
She would remain known as Cardi B as she entered the next phase of her career, given a foot in the door thanks to the reality TV show she starred in. Even as her star was rising, she would remain with the name she had first adopted all those years ago, Cardi B.
Now her name, seemingly an afterthought, is attached to a plethora of distinctions, among which are a pile of awards and the distinguished spot of being one of the most influential female rappers ever.
Even though her name appears on the surface to be of a lot more significance than the story around its creation would suggest, it certainly seems to have paid dividends for the star to derive such a catchy pseudonym for herself, all from a childhood nickname.
Other Aliases
Although not a true alternative alias, Cardi B did once go by the name “Chioma” instead. This was while visiting Lagos, attending Livespot X Festival, that she decided to adopt the alternative name.
This is the only time that Cardi B has strayed from her original name, despite it likely only be done for comedic purposes as she was enjoying the city so much.