Miranda Lambert Was Almost Given a Different Name – Her Dad Changed It at the Last Minute
Miranda Lambert has a surprising story behind her name — and it involves a last-minute decision by her dad that is still visible on her birth certificate.
The "Bluebird" singer opened up about the unusual story ahead of the release of her new album Crisco on Friday (Oct. 2).
Lambert also explained why she believes her name may have a connection to her father's time in law enforcement, though he has never confirmed the theory.
Last-Minute Name Change
Lambert revealed that her birth certificate still shows evidence of her dad's last-minute change.
Read More: Miranda Lambert Sets the Record Straight on Her Infamous Chad Kroeger Bar Fight
"It's literally crossed out on my birth certificate, and he changed it to Miranda, at the last minute," she told The Tennessean.
Lambert believes her father may have gotten the name from "Miranda Rights," the constitutional rights police must read to a person before a custodial interrogation.
Her father, Rick, was a police officer at one point, but Lambert said he won't tell her whether that's actually where he got the idea. Her mother, Bev, believes the theory, too.
"I literally think that I'm named after Miranda Rights. So does my mom," Lambert said.
Miranda Lambert's Parents Inspired 'Gunpowder & Lead'
Lambert's parents were private investigators in small-town Texas while she was growing up, and their work exposed her to stories that would eventually influence her songwriting.
Read More: 11 Country Singers Who Dated + How It Ended – Six Weddings, Four Divorces + One Messy Breakup
Rick and Bev often gave battered women and children a safe place to stay, and Lambert has said those experiences inspired some of her music.
That included "Gunpowder & Lead," her hit song about a woman shooting her abusive husband. Lambert knew sending the song to country radio was a risk, but she wanted the story to be heard.
Read More: LoCash Says They Had Miranda Lambert’s ‘The House That Built Me’ First [Exclusive]
"One of my first songs out was 'Gunpowder & Lead,'" she recalled. "Like, that wasn't that popular to be singing about shooting an abusive husband on the radio."
Lambert said she didn't care because it was something she had experienced "vicariously" through her parents' work.
"I wrote a song about it, and I wanted it to be heard. It needed to be said," she explained.
Lambert's new disco-country album Crisco arrives Friday (Oct. 2).
