Why is President Barack Obama called Obama?

Answer 1

In high school, he was going through a period of rebellion, and decided he did not like his birth name. As part of his desire to forge his own identity, he began using a nickname, Barry, instead of Barack. Eventually, in college, he returned to using his birth name.

Answer 2

Because it is the surname of his parents, and therefore, his.

The President's first name, Barack, is a Swahili Arabic/Islamic name that means "blessed." In Arabic, the root word is used in many other phrases * Mabruk! = "Congratulations!" * Barakallah feek = "May God bless you" * Barakah = blessings from God (feminine version of the name) President Obama's middle name is Hussein, which means "good" or "handsome"

His father, a Kenyan student named Barack Obama, Sr., married his mother, Ann Dunham, when she was eighteen on Feb. 2, 1961. After his mother remarried, he was adopted by his Indonesian stepfather, Lolo Soetoro, and President Obama's legal last name became Soetoro. He later changed it back to Obama.

Sometimes when people call the President by only his last name, they are doing it to be disrespectful. The President of the United States should not be called "Barack" (unless he asks you to) and he should not be called "Obama". He should be called either Barack Obama, President Barack Obama, President Obama, or Mr. President to show the respect due to the holder of this highest office in the US Government, and to show the due respect to the office itself.