Is Steve Jobs' Real Name ' Abdul Lateef Jandali'? What We Know Of The Viral Story Of His Background, Heritage, and More

A viral post claiming that Steve Jobs' real name was Abdul Lateef Jandali has drawn renewed attention to the Apple co-founder's early life, adoption, and family background. Steven Paul Jobs was born on 24 February 1955 in San Francisco and later became one of the most influential figures in modern technology, known for co-founding Apple Inc and shaping the personal computer era alongside Steve Wozniak.

While his public identity is firmly established, details about his birth parents and adoption have triggered online discussion about his heritage and name at birth. Netizens have asked: Is that his real name?

Steve Jobs And His Public Identity

Steven Paul Jobs built his reputation as an American businessman, inventor, and investor whose work transformed consumer technology. He co -founded Apple in 1976, later founded NeXT, and became chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar, which produced the first computer-animated feature film, Toy Story, in 1995.

His career included leaving Apple in 1985, returning in 1997 after Apple acquired NeXT, and leading the company's revival through products such as the iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.

Birth Parents And Early Circumstances

Jobs was born to Joanne Carole Schieble and Abdulfattah 'John' Jandali, who were not married at the time of his birth. Jandali was born into a Muslim household to wealthy Syrian parents and later pursued a PhD in political science at the University of Wisconsin after studying at the American University of Beirut. Schieble, an American Catholic of Swiss-German descent, faced opposition from her father due to Jandali's Muslim faith, which influenced her decision to arrange a closed adoption.

Schieble travelled to San Francisco to give birth and requested that her child be adopted by college graduates. When the first selected couple withdrew, Jobs was instead adopted by Paul Reinhold Jobs and Clara Jobs, despite not meeting that educational requirement. Schieble initially resisted signing the adoption papers but agreed after Paul and Clara promised to pay for their son's university education.

Paul Jobs, an American of German descent, worked as a mechanic and later as a car salesman after serving in the US Coast Guard. Clara Jobs, of Armenian descent, worked as a bookkeeper, and together they raised Jobs in California after returning from the Midwest. Their promise to support his education became a defining part of the adoption agreement.

The Name Abdul Lateef Jandali

The viral claim that Jobs' real name was Abdul Lateef Jandali stems from comments made by his cousin, Bassma Al Jandaly. She has stated that this was his birth name before adoption, written in Arabic as عبد اللطيف الجندلي. This detail has circulated widely online, often presented as a hidden or suppressed identity rather than part of a documented adoption history.

Available records confirm that Jobs' biological father was Abdulfattah Jandali and that Jobs was named Steven Paul Jobs after adoption. There is no evidence that he ever used Abdul Lateef Jandali publicly or legally after being adopted.

What We Know For Certain

Jobs died on 5 October 2011 from tumor-related respiratory arrest after being diagnosed with a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumour in 2003. In 2022, he was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom and is credited with over 450 patents. While interest in his background continues, the confirmed facts show that Steven Paul Jobs was his adopted and legal name, and claims about his 'real', 'secret' name were never substantiated.