Is Snoop Dogg named after Snoopy? A look at the reason behind the rapper’s stage name

With over 175 singles to his name, Snoop Dogg, a.k.a. Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr., is one of the most iconic rappers of recent times. The rapper got his moniker from his mother, who nicknamed him 'Snoop' after Snoopy the dog, from the Peanuts cartoon.

As per Calvin's biography, his mother nicknamed him Snoopy because he not only loved the children's cartoon show but also resembled Snoopy the dog. He carried the nickname forward and used it for his first moniker - 'Snoop Rock-Ski.' The rapper created the name after the Rock-Ski title of a member of The Fat Boys hip-hop trio.

He was later inspired by a relative's name and tweaked the moniker to 'Snoop Doggy Dogg,' right before debuting with Dr. Dre. He released his first few singles, Gin and Juice and Who Am I (What’s My Name)?, under the same stage name.

Snoop's moniker was inspired by the nickname given to him by his mother (Image via Jerod Harris/Getty Images)

Sharing his life experiences with Esquire in 2008, Snoop said:

"My momma gave me the name. I used to love Peanuts and Charlie Brown -- Snoopy was my favorite cartoon character growing up. I watched so much, I started to look like him."

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Snoop Dogg's love for Snoopy remained even when his stage name continued to change

Snoop Dogg parted ways from his early moniker in the early 2000s. As the years passed, he went by the monikers - Bigg Snoop Dogg, Dogg Father, Snoop Rock, DJ Snoopadelic, Snoopzilla, and FaZe Snoop.

Snoop's early hits - Tha Last Meal, Paid Tha Cost to Be da Bos, Ego Trippin, Malice n Wonderland, and Doggumentary - almost all came out under different monikers. Even with his music and stage name transforming, Snoop's love for Snoopy and the nickname given by his mother remained.

The rapper switched to 'Snoop Lion' in 2012 after converting to Rastafarianism. After years of self-exploration and experimentation, he finally settled down with his current moniker.

Snoop shared the easter eggs about his stage name in the debut solo single - Who Am I (What’s My Name)? The track, which was first released on November 11, 1993, foreshadowed the secret with the verses:

"I know his name / C'mon Snoopy, c'mon Snoopy (The bomb) / And The Dogg Pound / Snoopy Dogg (The Bomb) / Snoopy Dogg / Snoopy Dogg (Dogg)"

The 'Snoop' in his current moniker refers to the childhood name given by his mother, while 'Dogg' was taken from the last name of his cousin, Tate Doggy Dogg.

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Snoop Dogg announces the latest chapter of his career with the Missionary album

Snoop is all set for the newest chapter of his music career with the upcoming album, Missionary. The 20th studio album will be released under the Death Row Record label on a 'yet-to-be-revealed' date this year.

The Missionary album is produced by Snoop Dogg's longtime friend and producer, Dr. Dre. The two stars began working on the album in July 2022 and finished recording by November of the same year.

Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have kept most details about the album under wraps. However, they have confirmed that the album is a follow-up to Snoop's debut album, D*ggyst*le. The album will be right in time for the 30th year anniversary of Snoop's 1993 debut.

A full list of featured artists and collaborators for the Missionary album is yet to be revealed. Appearing at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! show in March 2024, 50-cent revealed that he would be appearing on Snoop's album as a featured artist.

The Head Banger rapper, Erick Sermon, who also appeared at the show, confirmed that he had a song on the upcoming album.

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As of this writing, the Missionary album does not have a release date or a confirmed tracklist.