Diddy once refused to answer one question from Oprah Winfrey: “I will answer every other...”
Born Sean John Combs, P Diddy has undergone multiple name changes throughout his career. He first entered the rap scene as Puff Daddy before rebranding as P Diddy, later dropping the 'P' to become Diddy, according to Billboard. His name was later extended to include his group, Diddy—Dirty Money. In 2017, Diddy announced he would go by Love or Brother Love. However, following his arrest in September 2023, Diddy's past and present controversies have drawn renewed scrutiny, with his interaction with Oprah Winfrey making headlines due to his name.
During a 2006 interview with Winfrey, the rapper is seen avoiding answering a question about his stage name. During an interview for Winfrey's O magazine, she asked Diddy about the origins of his stage name, as per Irish Star. He responded, "It's a nickname somebody gave me." When pressed for its meaning, he hesitated, saying, "I've never told anyone that. I know you get people to tell you everything, Oprah. But I can't look you in the eye and explain that one."
Sensing his reluctance, Winfrey questioned whether "Puff" had a deeper meaning, but Diddy dismissed the inquiry, saying, "It's just a silly name." Winfrey acknowledged his reluctance, saying, "I can see that you're not going to tell me." Diddy responded, "I'll answer every other question."
The mystery surrounding the name 'Puff Daddy' grew after Diddy faced legal troubles in 1999, including allegations of weapon possession and bribery related to a nightclub shooting. Though he avoided conviction, the controversy led him to rebrand his image. "No more Puff Daddy—the first week in June we're going to have a name change ceremony," he told MTV News in 2001. "I'm rockin' with 'P Diddy' now. My man Biggie gave me that name."
During a 'Carpool Karaoke' episode on 'The Late Late Show,' James Corden expressed uncertainty about how to address Diddy, who has gone by various names, as per Yahoo! Lifestyle. When Corden admitted, "I don’t know what to call you," Diddy replied, "You could call me any of the approved names." Diddy reflected on the evolution of his name, explaining, "I was born Puffy. Okay, and then I became P Diddy. Then they called me Diddy because I was so pretty. And then Puff Daddy."
He then told Corden that he had since embraced his current name, saying, "And then I became who I am now." When Corden asked for clarification, Diddy confirmed, "Not Brother Love, just Love." After hearing the list, Corden remarked, "I can't help but notice you've overlooked Sean." Diddy acknowledged that "Sean is typically used by, you know, my mother. I don’t know when you're in trouble." Corden related to this, saying it was similar to when his own "mum calls [him] by [his] full name."
The record producer then revealed that Jay-Z is the only person permitted to call him "Sean," saying, "There’s only one person, and I call him Shawn. That's Jay-Z. We call each other Sean." He made it clear, "Nobody else could call me Sean. There’s not a single person, outside of my mother, that should be calling me Sean," emphasizing the exclusivity of the nickname between him and Jay-Z.