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Jennifer Lopez reveals the origins of her J.Lo nickname on 'World of Dance'

Here's how it all began!
Today - Season 68
TODAY -- Pictured: Jennifer Lopez on Monday, May 6, 2019 -- (Photo by: Nathan Congleton/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)Nathan Congleton/NBC
/ Source: TODAY

Even before fans knew her as Jenny from the Block — and long before she became one half of J-Rod with her fiance, Alex Rodriguez — Jennifer Lopez was known as J.Lo. But how did the singer get that iconic nickname in the first place?

The superstar and “World of Dance” judge, 50, revealed how "J.Lo" came about during a commercial break on Wednesday's episode of the reality dance competition show.

She explained that the name came from the late rapper and record producer Heavy D.

"J.Lo came from Heavy D," Lopez said in a clip shared by Access. “He would come into the studio when I was making my first album, and he would always call me Jenny Lo. And I was dating Puffy at the time, and so, Puffy and Jennifer Lo, or Jenny Lo, was showing up in records. Like, they were talking about us in records and stuff like that."

“So I was like, I’m going to name the album 'J.Lo,'” Lopez added.

Her first studio album was actually called “On the 6,” but in 2001, she called her second album “J.Lo” — and it stuck, with fans calling her by that name ever since.

There have been some conflicting stories about the origins of "J.Lo" over the years. Back in 2001, the singer herself told the Chicago Tribune that her fans had given her the affectionate moniker.

"It's something my music fans named me. I'd go to MTV or wherever and there would be kids carrying signs that said J.Lo,” she said. “It's kind of like street terminology, and it kind of caught on."

However it started, it’s definitely catchy — and now, it's hard to imagine calling the singer by any other name!