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JoJo Siwa just revealed the real reason behind her name change to Joelle. In a February 2026 interview, the 22-year-old dancer candidly explained what her birth name means to her. Her boyfriend Chris Hughes played a key role in this personal rebrand that marks a major evolution.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Name Change Date: December 31, 2025, when she updated her TikTok bio to Joelle Siwa
- Real Name: Joelle Joanie Siwa, born May 19, 2003, making her 22 years old
- Explanation Timing: Revealed reasoning on February 24, 2026 via E! News: The Rundown interview
- Boyfriend Influence: Chris Hughes from Celebrity Big Brother consistently calls her Joelle
Why JoJo Siwa Chose to Embrace Joelle
The pop star made headlines at the end of 2025 when she quietly switched her TikTok display name from the nickname the world knows her by. In her February interview on E! News, Siwa gave fans insight into this decision. She explained that her boyfriend Chris Hughes consistently refers to her as Joelle rather than JoJo.
“I’ve gotten more comfortable with the idea of Joelle, and my boyfriend calls me Joelle,” Siwa said in the candid chat. The 22-year-old noted that this name has been part of her life all along, used by certain people in her inner circle. Her family never called her by the nickname, while close friends continued using JoJo. Professional contacts like Jenna Johnson from Dancing with the Stars have always addressed her as Joelle.
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The Two Sides of Joelle Versus JoJo
Siwa provided a fascinating explanation of how she sees these two names representing different aspects of her personality. According to the Entertainment star, Joelle represents the calm, content version of herself. In contrast, she described JoJo as the “crazier version” of Joelle. “I think Joelle’s like the happy version of JoJo,” she explained during the interview.
This distinction is more than superficial. The 22-year-old has undergone several public transformations, from her colorful Nickelodeon era to her “bad girl” aesthetic and now toward a more mature, sophisticated image. Her decision to lean into Joelle signals a shift toward the calmer, happier identity she’s cultivating at this stage in her life.
How Chris Hughes Sparked This Personal Journey
Siwa and Hughes met in the Celebrity Big Brother house in April 2025 and have been dating for nearly a year. Their relationship caused Siwa to publicly reevaluate her sexuality, announcing that she no longer identifies as a lesbian. The couple has even sparked engagement rumors after Hughes reportedly gave her a Cartier ring.
Throughout her relationship with Hughes, Siwa has grown more comfortable with Joelle as her primary identity. When asked who Joelle actually is, Siwa responded candidly, “That’s a great question. I don’t know. I’m still meeting her myself.” This honest admission suggests she’s on an ongoing journey of self-discovery, using her birth name as an anchor for her evolving identity.
“I feel like Joelle more so now than ever.”
— JoJo Siwa, E! News: The Rundown Interview
A Rebrand Reflecting Her Growth and Evolution
This name change isn’t legally binding but represents Siwa‘s desire to distance herself from the persona that defined her childhood and teenage years. She rose to fame on Dance Moms, where she became synonymous with the JoJo the world knew. Now at 22, she’s actively choosing a different path forward.
Siwa also clarified that fans can call her whichever name they prefer. “You can call me JoJo or Joelle whatever you like better,” she stated on Instagram. This flexibility suggests she recognizes both identities as valid parts of herself, even as she personally gravitates toward Joelle in her private and professional life. Her boyfriend’s consistent use of Joelle has made that transition feel natural and comfortable.
Is This the Beginning of Joelle’s Big 2026 Plans?
When Siwa first announced the name change at the end of 2025, she teased “big plans for 2026” in a TikTok where she lip-synced to her 2016 song “Boomerang.” The transition to Joelle appears to be part of a larger reinvention strategy. Whether this involves new music, a different creative direction, or simply living more authentically as Joelle remains to be seen. What’s clear is that this name change signals a star ready to write her own story on her own terms, separated from the childhood persona that made her famous.
Sources
- BuzzFeed – Feature interview explaining Siwa‘s name change reasoning and identity exploration
- Elite Daily – Report on why JoJo Siwa changed her name to Joelle and the boyfriend influence
- E! News – Original interview with JoJo Siwa discussing relationship and personal rebrand
