Pop sensation and dancer JoJo Siwa has ushered in the new year with a significant personal change, quietly adopting her birth name on a key social media platform. The 22-year-old internet personality, known to millions as JoJo, has updated her TikTok profile to display the name Joelle Siwa.
A New Identity for a New Year
The change was first spotted by her 46 million followers on New Year's Eve, 31 December 2025. Siwa, born Joelle Joanie Siwa, has used the nickname JoJo since rising to fame on the reality TV show Dance Moms in 2015. The move has been warmly received by fans, with many commenting that the name Joelle feels authentic.
In her final TikTok post of 2025, Siwa hinted at major plans for the coming year. She lip-synced to her 2016 song "Boomerang," using the lyric "I’ma come back like a boomerang" in response to a question about her 2026 plans. She captioned the video: "What a year it is ahead."
Relationship Hints and Future Plans
The name change follows observations that her boyfriend, British reality star Chris Hughes, has also referred to her as Joelle in a now-expired Instagram story. The couple, who confirmed their relationship in June 2025 after meeting on Celebrity Big Brother, recently discussed their future in a joint interview.
In a December feature with The Sun's Fabulous magazine, Hughes, 31, shared his thoughts on marriage proposals. He expressed a dislike for predictable timing, such as Christmas, and firmly stated that he would be uncomfortable if Siwa were to propose to him. Siwa humorously countered that if he hadn't asked after seven years together, she would take matters into her own hands.
From Speculation to Confirmation
The pair's relationship journey began under the public eye. After growing close in the Celebrity Big Brother house and initially describing their bond as platonic, they were frequently seen together, fuelling dating rumours. Siwa later split from her previous partner, Kath Ebbs, before officially confirming her romance with Hughes.
The name revelation caps off a notable period for Siwa, who in November shared a health update with fans after being rushed to hospital shortly before a scheduled performance. As 2026 begins, the shift to Joelle on TikTok marks a new chapter, aligning with her promise of a significant year of personal and professional evolution.
