Why Coco Gauff came to be called Coco despite her legal name Cori Gauff: All about the fascinating story

Coco Gauff has become a household name in the tennis world over the past few years, and most fans know her simply as "Coco." But to everyone’s surprise, that’s not her real name, and there are two funny stories behind how she ended up with it.

Gauff's legal name is Cori Dionne Gauff. She was born on March 13, 2004, to Candi and Corey Gauff. While "Coco" is just a nickname, it’s the name she’s chosen to go by on the WTA Tour, and most fans know her by that alone.

According to the American, her aunt insists she came up with the name and started calling her that when she was little. On the other hand, her dad says people used to call him "Co," so he figured he’d pass it on and call his daughter "Coco." Either way, the name stuck.

"My aunt says she came up with calling me Coco," Gauff explained to the media during the 2024 US Open. "But then my dad [Corey Gauff] said when he was younger, people used to call [him] 'Co.' Then he was like, 'I'll call my daughter Coco.’”

"I don't know which story is actually true, but they both get pretty mad if I don't say both of them,” she added.

Coco Gauff decided to stick with the name "Coco" because things got confusing back home in Delray Beach, Florida. She once joked that if her mom were to yell “Cori,” both she and her dad would look up, since her real name is Cori and her dad’s name is Corey. To avoid the mix-ups, they all agreed it was easier to call her Coco.

"I guess they didn't want me to get my dad and me confused when my mom is yelling at one of us in the house," she said.

Even Gauff once admitted that she had trouble booking hotels often because of her name.

Difficulties Coco Gauff faces for her legal name

Coco Gauff pictured at the 2025 French Open | Image Source: Getty

Coco Gauff doesn’t face any issues on the tennis court for not using her legal name, but off the court, it occasionally causes some confusion.

During the 2024 US Open, she revealed that checking into hotels can be a hassle, since her ID says “Cori” and the room is usually booked under “Coco,” staff often get confused.

“Every time I check into hotels or people at the airport ... they look at my ID, and obviously at the airport you book under your real name, but the person sometimes will recognize me and they'll be like, 'Wait, are you Coco?' I'm like, 'Yeah, it's just a nickname. I'm not somebody that looks like her,'" Gauff said.

"In the hotel, sometimes, like, 'Well, we don't have your room.' I'm like, 'It's probably under Coco, not Cori,' and then they'll do that,” she added.

Despite the occasional mix-up, Gauff is content with going by Coco. She’s said she actually likes it, finding it “cool” to be recognized on a first-name basis in the tennis world. Plus, she thinks it’s simple, “easy” and instantly “recognizable.”

"I think it's cool to be known kind of [on] a first-name basis, in the tennis world, at least," she said. "I think maybe just because Coco is just so easy and recognizable. People like it more than using my last name, which kind of just sounds like a sport.

The American now has a big challenge ahead as she looks to capture her second Grand Slam at the French Open, where she’ll face Aryna Sabalenka in the final on Saturday, June 7. If she comes out on top, her name will be forever etched into the Suzanne-Lenglen Cup.