The Real Meaning Of Queen Latifah's Stage Name

It was from the idea that all women are queens that Queen Latifah decided to use "queen" as part of her stage name. Good Housekeeping reported that "Latifah" was bestowed upon her by a cousin, though People claims that the rapper-turned-actress picked it out of a book at age 8. The word means "delicate, sensitive, kind, nice," the rapper-turned-actress told "The Rachael Ray Show."

According to People, Queen Latifah loved her stage name, as it represents the duality of being a woman: "That's the story of my life," she said. "I think that's the wonderful thing about a woman. We can be strong but then we can be soft and kind and sensitive."

Though most of us love and even admire Queen Latifah for her stage name, not everyone's a fan, including her late mother Rita Owens, who didn't exactly like her daughter's chosen performing name. "My mother kinda laughed. She was like, 'Queen? I ain't calling you Queen,'" Latifah said, per People. Though she may not have been the most supportive of the name itself, Queen Latifah's mother supported her dreams and encouraged her to take risks, Latifah revealed to Good Housekeeping.