Nicki Minaj's Real Name: Onika Tanya Maraj

Quick answer: Nicki Minaj's full name is Onika Tanya Maraj. She was born on December 8, 1982, in St. James, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, and works under Nicki Minaj—a stage name developed from childhood personas.

Real name and early life

Britannica, Biography.com, and BlackPast identify Onika Tanya Maraj, born December 8, 1982, in St. James, Trinidad and Tobago (Britannica; Biography.com; BlackPast). Maraj is the family surname; Onika and Tanya are given and middle names. Her family moved to Queens, New York, when she was about five. She attended LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts, wrote raps as a preteen, and created alter egos—including early “Cookie” and “Harajuku Barbie” personas—before settling on Nicki Minaj as her professional identity.

Career highlights

After backup singing and mixtapes (Playtime Is Over, Sucka Free, Beam Me Up Scotty), she signed to Lil Wayne’s Young Money as its first female artist. Debut album Pink Friday (2010) topped the Billboard 200 and went multi-platinum; follow-ups include Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded, The Pinkprint, and Queen. Hit singles and features span “Super Bass,” “Starships,” “Anaconda,” and collaborations across pop and hip-hop. She has collected multiple BET Awards for Best Female Hip-Hop Artist, performed at a Super Bowl halftime show with Madonna, and remains one of the best-selling female rappers. Chart and album billing stayed Nicki Minaj; the documented birth name is Onika Tanya Maraj.

Alter egos such as Roman Zolanski became part of her public brand, and her rapid-fire flow plus theatrical fashion helped redefine mainstream female rap in the 2010s. Later chart peaks include major pop collaborations that pushed her onto Hot 100 summits alongside pure hip-hop releases.

Name notes for searchers

Married name forms sometimes appear as Maraj-Petty in later profiles; birth name remains Onika Tanya Maraj. “Nicki Minaj” is a chosen stage name, not a legal first-middle pair from birth. Prefer Britannica and Biography.com over unsourced social bios.