That Time The Internet Went Crazy Over Sasha Obama’s Real Name

Since Sasha Obama’s family exited the White House in 2017, the former first daughter has managed to maintain a somewhat low profile. She doesn’t have social media accounts and hasn’t entered the high-profile entertainment industry like big sis Malia Obama. As a result, it’s not easy for the public to learn about Sasha’s life post-Washington, D.C. Still, one fact about the youngest Obama daughter has slipped through the cracks and remains a shock to some: her name.

Many people aren’t aware that Sasha’s birth name is Natasha Marian Obama. While this information isn’t often discussed, and Michelle and Barack Obama certainly haven’t spoken out about it, Sasha herself has used her birth name on multiple occasions. For instance, when she took a summer job in 2016 at Martha’s Vineyard, working at Nancy’s Restaurant in Oak Bluffs, where she prepped the eatery before opening time, she went by her full birth name rather than her more well-known nickname. Even so, when podcaster and writer Ashley C. Ford, whom you might know from the X (formerly known as Twitter) handle @iSmashFizzle, disclosed Sasha’s real identity, the internet lost it.