Coco Chanel’s first name was Gabrielle.
Her full name was Gabrielle Bonheur Chanel. The public generally remembers her by the nickname Coco, but Gabrielle remained her given first name and appears in biographies, business records, and historical accounts of her life.
The nickname became associated with her during an earlier period when she performed songs in cafés. Once she established herself in fashion, “Coco Chanel” became the name used by the press and customers, while the fashion house itself adopted the family surname Chanel.
This distinction matters because Coco was a stage and professional identity, not her birth first name. Gabrielle is also the name used in titles and references discussing her personal life before she became one of the defining designers of modern fashion.