The Surprising Reason Bill Gates Told His Daughter to Hide Their Famous Last Name
Would you change your name if your dad was Bill Gates? I mean, imagine sitting in homeroom, scribbling “French” on your paper, while knowing your real last name controls half the world’s operating systems. That’s exactly the wild little plot twist in Phoebe Gates’ childhood—yep, THE Phoebe Gates, daughter of Microsoft’s buttoned-up, mega-billionaire founder. For years, she was told to keep the “Gates” gig a secret in school, just so she could make friends who liked her for her, not for the $101 billion logo she was silently sporting. Now, isn’t that the kind of parenting move equal parts genius and disorienting? In a world where the rich and famous splash their names everywhere faster than you can say “trust fund,” Bill and Melinda genuinely wanted their kids to have a chance at a somewhat normal childhood—if “normal” is boarding school lunches minus the private jet. And get this—with a net worth so galactic even one percent leaves you a billionaire, being a “regular kid” might be the most extravagant legacy of all . Oh, I have thoughts—grab your coffee and let’s peek behind the billionaire curtain. LEARN MORE
Phoebe Gates has revealed why she was told to avoid using her real last name when she was a child.
Microsoft co-founder and multi-billionaire Bill Gates is known for his work in tech, though he officially stepped back from his company’s operations in 2008.
The American businessman decided then to dedicate more time to charitable causes, before then resigning as chairman of the Microsoft board in 2014, and then stepping down from the board altogether in 2020.
Gates is so passionate about reshaping his reputation through his work via The Gates Foundation, that he and his ex-wife Melinda French had decided that ‘less than one percent’ of his $101 billion (£79 billion) net worth would be left for his three children, Jennifer, Rory, and Phoebe.
Unlucky, kids.
Phoebe Gates revealed something about her upbringing under dad Bill (Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for TIME)
The billionaire has always been careful in making sure his children don’t get as much of a head-start when it comes to their own lives, explaining his thinking on a recent podcast.
Talking to Raj Shamni on Figuring Out, he admitted: “My kids got a great upbringing and education, but less than 1% of the total wealth because I decided it wouldn’t be a favour to them.
“You know, it’s not a dynasty. I’m not asking them to run Microsoft.”
But now his youngest child, Phoebe, revealed on her own podcast that she was told not to use her last name while she was going through school.
Along with Sophia Kianni, the Stanford roommates have a podcast called ‘The Burnouts’, where they have inteviewed the likes of Kris Jenner and Tommy Hilfiger.
But on a recent podcast, the 22-year-old explained why her parents told her to go by her mum’s last name ‘French’ in school.
“My parents were really intentional about making sure we didn’t use my dad the last name Gates until we were in high school – we went by my mom’s last name,” she began.
She said it was a way for her to make friends organically as a child (YouTube/The Burnouts)
“And it really allowed me to be able to make friends in like a really authentic way before I’d be like, ‘Oh, this is my family or like this is who I’m related to. Come over to my house,’ I don’t think it would have necessarily been good for me to be fully like in the spotlight as a child,” Phoebe admitted.
Her dad is set on his kids forging their own paths somewhat, though it should be noted that one percent of $101 billion is still upwards of $1 billion being left for his children, so hold back from shedding a tear for their financial futures.
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