Raven-Symoné explains why being called "Raven" triggers her due to her child star past.
Raven-Symoné has expressed a preference for being addressed by her full moniker.
“Sometimes I have an issue when people refer to me as Raven. [That] tends to trigger me slightly due to my time being called Raven,” Symoné, 39, shared during a recent discussion on her “Tea Time” podcast, referencing her defining role in the That’s So Raven series. “Then, occasionally, people refer to me as Chris because my middle name is Christina.”
Symoné’s complete legal name is Raven-Symoné Christina Pearman-Maday. She hyphenated her surname after marrying wife Miranda Pearman-Maday in 2020.
“If we’re in a wide open space with many people present, I’ll caution friends, like, ‘Please don’t call me Raven in public,’” Symoné recalled regarding her discussions with various acquaintances. “I have other nicknames as well, but my name has been so utilized. I used to feel quite detached from my name.”
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Symoné began acting at the age of 3, notably portraying Olivia on The Cosby Show. Following a string of successful TV, film, and music endeavors, she secured an eponymous sitcom on Disney Channel. Symoné embodied Raven Baxter in That’s So Raven from 2003 to 2007, a fictional series centered on a teen psychic. She later reprised the role on the network’s Raven’s Home from 2017 to 2023.
“It was my profession! I’d wake up, go to work, go to sleep, wake up and return to work,” Symoné exclusively told Us Weekly in 2020 regarding her life as a child actor. “[Then, Raven’s Home is] a second-edition interpretation of what Raven Baxter would do. It’s not a true revival, but the characters are reanimated.”
She added at the time, “Even if she hadn’t returned or if I hadn’t returned, I would still want to be associated with the Disney Channel because of the content it produces for children and the deliberate effort to continue growth and maintain positivity.”
Symoné further expressed enthusiasm regarding her renewed partnership with Disney Channel.
“I believe they serve as a positive example and offer reassurance regarding what your children are watching without cause for concern,” she explained. “That holds significant importance in today’s media landscape. You know you’re going to receive quality content when you go to that channel, and nothing inappropriate will appear.”
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In the time since Raven’s Home concluded, Symoné has focused on her “Tea Time” podcast and an upcoming memoir.
“I am in the process of writing a book,” Symoné teased on the “Sorry We’re Cyrus” podcast in October. “I cannot give away everything. The experiences we lived through?”
According to Symoné, she intends to reveal all the details about being a child star “as thoroughly as [she] can without facing legal action.”
“Some individuals now are even discussing the decisions that were made back then, but I can’t judge them because that was the environment in which we existed,” Symoné reflected. “Every single generation experiences improvements, and hopefully, with our efforts and consistent advocacy for each other, things can advance.”
Symoné has not shared further updates on her in-progress manuscript.
