‘The Dua Lipa effect’ explained after pop star follows Royals by sparking huge parenting trend in UK
From her chart-topping music to her effortlessly stylish holiday photo dumps and adorable relationship with Callum Turner, there’s no doubt that Dua Lipa is 2026’s ‘it girl’.
The ‘Levitating’ singer, who's celebrating her 31st birthday today, is more popular than ever, and not just thanks to her music, as fans are also obsessing over her lifestyle, personality, and ability to connect with her audience.
And now, she’s even influenced the baby name chart, with plenty of Duas expected to be running around the playground within the next decade.
Speaking to Manchester Evening News, children's wear retailer JoJo Maman Bébé analysed the last decade of ONS (Office of National Statistics) birth data for England and Wales to find the fastest-growing names for boys and girls.
Advert
Experts delved into birth data taken between 1996 and 2025 to analyse the average annual rate of change, in order to work out which ones were growing year on year.
Among other names linked to celebrities, TV characters, and cultural moments, Dua was high on the list, and is growing by 22.8% each year, making it the fourth fastest-growing name in the UK - and we have a sneaky feeling that it has something to do with the British-Albanian pop star.
To delve into the new trend, Tyla spoke with the UK’s leading baby name expert and celebrity name consultant, SJ Strum, who broke down the ‘Dua Lipa effect,’ and explained why other A-Listers are having a similar impact.
She revealed: “Celebrities are the new Royals when it comes to baby names. It was tradition years ago for Brits to name their children after members of the Royal Family as a sign of admiration, giving Henry, Edward, Victoria and Elizabeth lasting popularity for decades.
“More recently, fashion has shifted to the more popular trend-setters in pop culture. Names like Margot have soared since the rise in fame of Margot Robbie, Dua has leapt up the charts, and TV show characters also have huge influence, with Daphne from Bridgerton bringing the vintage gem back into Vogue. Luca boomed after the Disney movie of the same name launched.”
SJ continued: “But it’s less about wanting to name your child after a famous person directly; more that the name rises in attention and familiarity plus benefits from the positive feelings the parents associate with the star.
“Celebrity babies are also influential, notably Harper Beckham, who brought the rare name into the zeitgeist, inspiring a legion of little Harpers.
“When Kate and William chose Louis, it also spiked in popularity; where before some people found it hard to pronounce, not sure if the S was silent.”
However, there are some downsides to be aware of - the most important one being that if you are naming your little one after a famous person, there’s always the possibility of them becoming controversial, or as Gen Z would say, getting ‘cancelled’.
On top of this, you might think the moniker you’ve chosen is unique and special, but if it’s after a person or character who’s dominating pop culture, it’s likely you won’t be the only one having this thought.
The expert warned: “The downside to choosing a name that’s linked to a popular person or TV show is that we’re all often watching and listening to the same shows and music - so a name parents think is a quirky pick like Dua suddenly becomes super popular.
“You think you don’t know any Daphnes, but once your baby joins school you suddenly realise everyone was Netflix and naming the same shows that birth year!”
But, as for the meaning behind Dua itself as a moniker, you can’t go wrong, with SJ describing it as a ‘beautiful Albanian name worthy of its new global attention’.
She explained: “If a celeb has a rare name with a great meaning; Dua means Love - it’s hitting everything parents are after. A fresh name with a cool image and deep meaning.”
Other examples of this are Luca meaning ‘bringer of light’ and Margot meaning ‘Pearl’.
“If you love a name associated with a breakout star, go for it! You’ll always love the name…just bank on them sharing it with a few classmates,” SJ advised new parents.
She added: “The good news is these names often peak then drop as the celebs start dwindling. Think Tommy and Ada back in 2012, which both exploded up the charts during the height of Peaky Blinders popularity.
“Both names have dropped significantly - name popularity moves quicker than ever, so embrace it, just make sure you’re side-stepping falling for a ‘fast fashion’ name you don’t truly love or align with.”
Move over Olivias, it’s time for Duas to shine!
Topics: Entertainment, Celebrity, Parenting, Life, Gen Z, Pregnancy
Madison Burgess