"She was like, ‘Alliteration, just in case she wants to be a pop star’": Reneé Rapp shares her mother's reasoning behind her name choice

Mother Knows Best, sang Donna Murphy, and Reneé Rapp would surely agree. Rapp reveals her mother's vision while choosing a name for her, during an interview on the Good Hang with Amy Poehler podcast. According to Rapp:

"My mom chose my first and last name to be, well, okay, arguably chose my first and last name to both have [two letter R’s]... She was like, 'Alliteration, just in case she wants to be a pop star' before I was born."

It seems like Mama Rapp was not wrong!

Reneé expressed how she felt about the way her mother named her. She admitted that it was a "conceited" act. However, she clarified that she loved it at the same time. In her words:

"... obsessed with the way [her mother] did it... I’m like, thank you, God."

Poehler added to the conversation by saying:

"She gave you a pop star name just in case, because Reneé Rapp is a huge pop star name." To this, the singer agreed.

Rapp concluded by agreeing that she has a great name. She replied to Poehler's statement, saying:

"It's a really good one!"

Reneé Rapp's journey as a pop star

Reneé Rapp, whose full name is Reneé Mary Jane Rapp, started her journey towards stardom as a Broadway actress. She played the role of Regina George in the Broadway musical Mean Girls from 2019 to 2020. A few years later, she took on the role of Regina George again in the Mean Girls musical comedy, which was released in 2024.

For some, Rapp may be popular as an actress, and to others, she is well-known as a singer. Reneé Rapp was also a part of The Sex Lives of College Girls cast, playing the role of Leighton Murray. After Season 3, Reneé left the show to focus on her music career.

Reneé Rapp's music career, besides Broadway and acting, started when she released her EP Everything to Everyone on November 11, 2022. In the same year, she went on her Everything to Everyone Tour.

Later on, she continued to release music, adding 10 singles to her discography and two studio albums. These include Snow Angel, which was released on August 18, 2023, and her second upcoming studio album, Bite Me, which will be released on August 1, 2025.

Rapp has also worked with big names in the music industry including Coco Jones on her single Tummy Hurts, and Megan Thee Stallion on Not My Fault. Her most recent music includes Leave Me Alone, a single from her upcoming album Bite Me.

Reneé has also won a few awards, including a Jimmy Award for Best Performance by an Actress in 2018, a GLAAD Media Award for Outstanding Music Artist in 2024, and a Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award for Favorite Breakout Artist in the same year.

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Reneé Rapp was not only born with talent, but born with a pop star name, all thanks to her mother. Whether it is instinct, foresight, or just plain genius, Reneé's name is made for the spotlight. The multi-talented singer is scheduled to release her second studio album on August 1, 2025.

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