Whitney Elizabeth Houston is Whitney Houston's full name.¹⁾

On August 9, 1963, she was born in Newark, New Jersey.²⁾

Her parents were Newark city administrator John Russell Houston Jr. and Grammy-winning gospel vocalist Emily Drinkard.³⁾

Houston's father served in the Army during WWII.⁴⁾

Darlene Love, lead vocalist of the 1960 girl group The Blossoms, was her godmother.⁵⁾