Power celebrity couple Jay-Z and Beyoncé have made several headlines over the past few years, including the time they opened up about their eldest daughter’s name. Beyoncé once revealed that the two planned to have a different name for their daughter than Blue Ivy Carter.
During a conversation with Gayle King on CBS Mornings, Jay-Z opened up about the story of his first child and how Blue Ivy got her name, which wasn’t their first choice. The couple had decided to name her Brooklyn, keeping in mind Jay-Z’s native place of birth and upbringing. “The name was supposed to be Brooklyn,” the 54-year-old told King in 2023.
However, as the pregnancy progressed, the nickname “Blueberry” began to be used affectionately, inspired by the tiny picture on the sonogram, “We used to call her Blueberry. Like, ‘Look at the little blueberry.'” Over time, the nickname became even more fluent, “It was natural,” the Young Forever rapper said. The couple later discarded “Berry” and just called her Blue.
Her revelation debunks a long-held belief by fans that Blue Ivy’s name is connected to her hugely popular album series, Blueprint. Instead, the name was born out of a tender moment between the expectant parents while Beyoncé was pregnant. For nearly nine months, she called the unborn baby “Blueberry,” a cute nickname that eventually led to her name.
Though the Renegade singer didn’t reveal the meaning of Blue’s middle name, Ivy, fans speculated that it relates to the number four, which holds major significance for both Beyoncé and the rapper, as their birthdays fall on Sept. 4 and Dec. 4, respectively.
Interestingly, the couple trademarked Blue Ivy in 2012, the year after she was born. The couple also has twins Sir and Rumi, but they have kept their youngest child away from the spotlight.
Elsewhere in the interview, the Empire State of Mind rapper also opened up about being a “cool parent” to Ivy. “She used to show off to me a little bit,” Jay joked. “But (now) I catch her. I catch her in the corner,” he said, also revealing that she now asks her dad, “Is this cool, are her sneakers cool.”
The singer and songwriter is proud to be a good parent to his wife of 16 years, “I’m cool,” he joked about his familial relationship, recalling talking with his daughter and reminding her that she’s got “cool parents.”
The rapper also revealed how much he loves watching daughter Ivy perform for My Power alongside her mom Beyoncé. Ivy’s performance inspired her father, who revealed that he still “gets goosebumps” whenever she appears in front of the audience. As Jay-Z said, she was “born into a life she didn’t expect.”
He said Ivy “has been under scrutiny in the public eye and even a little girl has opinions about how she wears her hair,” but he is very proud of his daughter because she went on stage to get her power back. Interestingly, the song is called My Power and the rapper feels “you couldn’t write a better script” because Ivy overcame her nervousness this time around.
Also read: Young Guru recalls the hectic process of recording Jay-Z’s verse for Drake’s Talk Up
