James Taylor shares his reaction to finding out Taylor Swift was named after him

Singer-songwriter James Taylor reflects on decades-long career ahead of 2024 Australian shows.
There’s no doubt many new parents are naming their kids after Taylor Swift.

Whether it be after a song, a lyric or even Swift herself, it’s hard to deny her insane popularity has had a flow-on effect to the next generation of names.

But did you know Swift herself was named after a famous musician?

Swift’s mother Andrea named her after the iconic singer James Taylor, because she thought that if she gave her daughter a gender-neutral name it would help her “forge a business career” one day.

Taylor Swift with James Taylor during the Speak Now World Tour at Madison Square Garden on November 22, 2011
Taylor Swift with her namesake, music icon James Taylor, in 2011. (Getty)
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Speaking with Nine’s Entertainment Editor Richard Wilkins ahead of his final Australian tour, Taylor shared that he was honoured to find out the Karma singer had been named after him.

“It was surprising when she told me that,” he told Wilkins.

“It’s really been quite moving that she made such a connection with my music and she didn’t rebel against her parents naming her after me, so I think of her as a friend.”

Taylor and Swift have shared a stage a handful of times over the years, performing Swift’s songs Ours and Love Story together, as well as Taylor’s song Fire and Rain.

James Taylor
The Fire and Rain singer spoke with Richard Wilkins ahead of his final Australian tour. (Today)
It’s not the first time the How Sweet It Is singer has spoken on the subject; he also recalled the time he first met Swift in a 2015 interview with SteroGum.

“We did a benefit together, I think it was focused on teenage pregnancy, before Taylor really took off,” Taylor said.

“But she was playing guitar and singing her songs and I knew how remarkable she was.

“She told me that her mum and dad had been really, deeply into my music and I got a real kick out of the fact that she’d been named after me.

“Obviously it wasn’t her choice, it was her mum and dad, but nonetheless a great connection I think.”

And Swift herself has publicly professed her love for the iconic musician, giving him a shoutout when she accepted her award for Best Pop Vocal Album at the 2016 Grammys.

James Taylor and Taylor Swift
Taylor performed Fire and Rain with Swift during her Speak Now world tour. (YouTube)
Swift wasn’t in attendance that night, so producer Jack Antonoff who had worked closely with Swift on the album 1989 accepted the award on her behalf and called her whilst on stage.

”What?! We won! We won pop vocal album,” she said to Antonoff, before asking if fellow nominee Taylor was in the audience.

”Can you tell James Taylor I love him?”