Coleman Young II was born in Royal Oak, Michigan. He is the only son of former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young and former Assistant Public Works Director Annivory Calvert. He was born Joel Loving, and raised in California, his father denying his existence until a paternity suit in 1989. Young says that the move and name change were due to death threats against his father. Later, Young, Sr. had Michigan courts restore Young's name to match his baptismal records. In 1995, a new birth certificate was issued bearing the name Coleman A. Young Jr. Young says he received a phone call from his father at the age of twelve wherein his father asked him to carry on the Coleman Young name and legacy.