A California gubernatorial candidate is drawing attention for sharing a name with the nation’s first Black president.

Why did Barack Denzel Obama Shaw initially change his name?

Barack Denzel Obama Shaw of Alameda, California, is among the 61 candidates running for governor, and his name is likely to stand out on the ballot.

While some may wonder how he came to share a name with the former president, Obama Shaw said he adopted it long before entering politics.

Then-Cecil Shaw III spent eight years in the U.S. military reserves and legally changed his name in 2013 out of respect and admiration for former President Barack Obama, according to Spectrum News and Newsweek.

“He made it happen that a person like me could become president,” Obama Shaw told Spectrum News. “And the word on the street was it’s not going to happen in our lifetime.”

Obama Shaw comes from a family with music roots

Obama Shaw said his name honors former President Barack Obama and actor Denzel Washington, two figures he said have inspired him.

“My name represents Obama, Denzel, my father, my grandfather and myself is what it is,” he said.

His father was a musician and appeared on Soul Train in the ’70s, and his grandfather was mentioned as an associate of Ray Charles in his autobiography.

Obama Shaw also shares a love for music through his work at the Alameda Theater. He hosts Alameda’s Got Talent and teaches kids to play music, per Spectrum News.

Details on Obama Shaw’s political background and wanting to work with Trump

Inspiring future generations is one of the reasons Obama Shaw turned to politics. In 2022, he ran for city mayor because he wanted to make a difference, especially among Black people.

“I found myself complaining about my country, how Black people are being treated and just different situations,” he said, per Newsweek. “So I took on a stance that I was going to stop complaining and start campaigning.”

After finishing third in the mayoral race with 6% of the vote, Obama Shaw launched a bid for governor. His campaign focuses on reducing homelessness, expanding housing opportunities and increasing state revenue.

Obama Shaw said he’s open to working with President Donald Trump and respects his position despite disagreeing with his policies.

“What I learned from the military is you respect the rank…even if you don’t like the person, you always respect the rank, and that’s something I still do to this day. I respect the rank, the title of this is President of the United States,” he said, per Newsweek. “Now, I don’t like what the man is saying, or the thing he’s doing, but he is the President, and so even if he’s not respecting it himself, I’m still going to respect that rank.”