Raven-Symoné Opens Up About Name Triggers on Podcast

Raven-Symoné recently shared her feelings about the name she has carried throughout her career during an episode of her podcast, “Tea Time w/ Raven & Miranda.” The actress, known for her roles on Disney Channel, revealed that she finds it triggering when fans refer to her simply as Raven.

During a discussion with her wife, Miranda Maday, and guest Tish Cyrus, the 39-year-old performer expressed mixed feelings about her full name, Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday. “Yes and no,” she responded when asked if she liked her complete name. The conversation took a serious turn as she elaborated, stating, “I’m going to be honest. Sometimes I have a problem when people call me Raven. (That) tends to, like, trigger me a little bit from my time being called Raven.”

Raven-Symoné rose to fame as the beloved character Raven Baxter on the sitcom “That’s So Raven,” which aired from 2003 to 2007. She later reprised this role in the spinoff series “Raven’s Home,” running from 2017 to 2023. Reflecting on her experiences, she noted that friends sometimes use a shortened version of her middle name, calling her Chris. “If we’re in a big, open area and there’s a lot of people, I’ll be like, ‘Do not call me Raven in public. Call me Chris,’” she shared, highlighting her preference for a more intimate name in social situations.

The actress acknowledged that her name has become so widely recognized that she has developed a sense of disassociation from it. “My name has been so used that I just kind of disassociate from my name,” she explained. Raven-Symoné reminisced about her childhood, noting that while fans called her Raven-Symoné, her family used different names. Her parents referred to her as Ray, while her brother called her Reva.

In 2023, Raven-Symoné addressed the pronunciation of her name on TikTok, confirming that it is pronounced “See-mon-ye.” She explained that the mispronunciation has persisted over the years. “Now, I didn’t do that because at a very young age I was told to tell everyone that my name was Raven-Symoné and it just never left my body,” she stated.

Despite the ongoing confusion over her name, Raven-Symoné remains at ease with how the public pronounces it. “Coming here to where I’m living, Raven-Symoné is just fine,” she reassured her fans. “I don’t trip over it. I don’t correct people. But the correct spelling of my name is pronounced ‘Raven-Symoné,’ but you can call me Raven-Symoné.”

Raven-Symoné’s candid discussion about her name sheds light on the complexities of identity, especially for public figures. As she continues to navigate her career and personal life, her insights provide a glimpse into the challenges and nuances of fame.