Gigi Hadid's Real Name: Jelena Noura Hadid

Quick answer: Gigi Hadid was born Jelena Noura Hadid on April 23, 1995, in Los Angeles. Jelena is pronounced "Yelena." Gigi is a family nickname handed down from her mother, former model Yolanda Hadid. It became her everyday name in first or second grade, when a teacher needed to tell her apart from a classmate named Helena (Vogue; Business Insider).

Real name and early life

Vogue reported in 2015 that "Gigi's real name is Jelena Noura Hadid." Business Insider gives the same name and her birth date, April 23, 1995. Hadid explained the nickname to Vogue: "My mom was called that as a kid by her mother when she was younger, but only around the house. I was called that around the house when I was really young." In first or second grade, she said, "there was a girl named Helena and it got confusing with the teacher who had to call out our names." When the teacher asked what nickname to use, her mother suggested Gigi, "and the name stuck."

Business of Fashion describes her as Los Angeles-born, of Dutch and Palestinian heritage. Her mother, Yolanda, is a Dutch model turned interior designer who later appeared on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Her father, Mohamed Hadid, is a real estate developer. Her younger sister, Bella, is also a model; Business Insider notes that Bella's full name is Isabella Khair Hadid.

Career highlights

Hadid told Vanity Fair in 2014, as Vogue quoted, that Guess founder Paul Marciano discovered her "when I was actually, like, 2 years old," leading to Baby Guess and Guess Kids work. In her teens, she stepped back from modeling to focus on competitive horseback riding and club volleyball, reaching Junior Olympic volleyball qualifiers. "I just wanted to have a normal childhood and go to high school," she said.

She signed with IMG Models in 2011 and appeared in Guess campaigns from 2012 to 2015. Business of Fashion reports that she made her runway debut at New York Fashion Week in February 2014. She went on to walk for Chanel, Versace, and Fendi, starred in campaigns for Tom Ford, Missoni, and Valentino, and appeared on numerous international editions of Vogue. She was chosen for the 2015 Pirelli Calendar, shot by Steven Meisel.

Business of Fashion has since covered her direct-to-consumer cashmere label, Guest in Residence.

Name notes for searchers

Jelena is her legal first name, Noura her middle name, and Hadid her family surname. Gigi is a nickname, not a shortened form of Jelena. Business Insider notes she has gone by Gigi for most of her life, so her early Guess work may have been credited to Jelena.