Long before Kobe Bryant became the embodiment of the Mamba Mentality, he was just a fiercely driven teenager trying to prove he belonged. At the age of 18, Kobe came straight from high school to the NBA. In one of his earliest interviews with Byron Allen, he was asked for the meaning behind his name.
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Allen said that Kobe’s parents were at a restaurant before his birth, and they saw Kobe beef on the menu and decided that’s what they’ll name their kid. Kobe didn’t reject the theory but went on to explain the other meaning of his name.
He said, “It’s also the name of a city over here in Japan. So, that’s pretty cool. It’s different.” The teenager revealed that he didn’t always like his name. However, as years went by, he started appreciating being called Kobe Bryant. But there was always a fear in him related to that name. Kobe means “tender meat.”
For someone who played the game fearlessly, ‘tender meat’ was the last thing Kobe would’ve wanted to associate with. He said, “I tell some of my friends it means ‘tender meat.’ I can’t let my competition know too much about that. They’ll start thinking I’m soft.”
Even at 18, Kobe’s competitive fire was evident. The fact that he considered the perception of his name a potential edge for his rivals speaks volumes about the mental intensity that would come to define his Hall of Fame career. The late legend went on to own his unique name, however, the conversations around it never stopped.
Kobe Bryant believed that his parents smoked something before naming him
During an appearance on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2019, Kobe was asked about his full name, Kobe Bean Bryant. He said, “I think it came from my parents smoking something that was illegal then.” Kobe’s name was inspired by the famous Japanese beef, a highly prized and expensive Japanese Wagyu beef known for its tenderness and rich flavor.
If that wasn’t enough, he also had ‘Bean’ in his name. Kobe revealed on the show that the middle name ‘Bean’ comes from his father. Kobe’s dad was Joseph Washington “Jellybean” Bryant, who had an eight-year-long career in the NBA.
Steak and bean combo for a name was unique. But it took Kobe a lot of time to fully embrace it. After a two-decade-long NBA career, most people now think of the Mamba when they hear Kobe.
