Beyonce's Name: Singer's Uncle Reveals How She Got It

How Did Beyonce Get Her Name?
|
Open Image Modal
Beyonce Knowles attends the premiere of "Beyonce: Life Is But A Dream" at the Ziegfeld Theatre on Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

Say her name, say her name.

Let's go back to the basics. We all know Beyonce can sing, dance, give birth and make a documentary about herself -- but how about we pose a more elementary question: Where did she get that name?

It doesn't sound so odd nowadays, when the name Beyonce is heard at every water cooler imaginable. Yet we can't help but wonder if she actually is the only Beyonce out there, considering the way her name came about.

The singer's maternal uncle, Roland Beyince (see where this is going?), turned out at Tuesday night's premiere of "Beyonce: Life is But a Dream," revealing that his niece's name was derived from his surname, according to the New York Post.

“My sister Tina [Knowles] didn’t think we had enough boys in the family to keep the [Beyince] name going, so she gave Beyonce our last name as the first name,” he said.

Mystery solved!

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost

Before You Go

"Life is But a Dream" premiere
Beyonce(01 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:PA)
Oprah Winfrey(02 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
Doutzen Kroes(03 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:PA)
Tina Knowles(04 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:PA)
Solange Knowles(05 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:PA)
Tyson Beckford and Shanina Shaik(06 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
Mamie Gummer(07 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
Angela Bassett(08 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
June Ambrose(09 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
Selita Ebanks(10 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
Ed Burke, co-director(11 of14)
Open Image Modal
Premiere at Ziegfeld Theatre, New York City (credit:AP)
Jay-Z and Beyonce(12 of14)
Open Image Modal
After-party at Christie's, New York City (credit:Getty Images)
Arianna Huffington and Beyonce(13 of14)
Open Image Modal
After-party at Christie's, New York City (credit:Getty Images)
Luke James and Beyonce(14 of14)
Open Image Modal
After-party at Christie's, New York City (credit:Getty Images)