Carly Rae Jepsen Hints Son's Name Ilya Comes From "Heated Rivalry" Character

Carly Rae Jepsen has a new baby boy, and his name might have a little Hollywood behind it. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the singer opened up about naming her son Ilya, hinting that the name could be tied to Ilya Rozanov, a character on HBO’s“Heated Rivalry.”Her exact words?“Ilya is the name of my son. Maybe, not maybe because of that show.”That’s about as close to a confirmation as we’re going to get.

Jepsen also shared that she was originally asked to write a song for season one of the show, but the budget wasn’t there, so it never came together. Season two brought another chance, and she called writing for it a“dream”while praising the series. Season one premiered in November 2025 and wrapped up December 26, and season two will adapt“The Long Game,”the sixth book in the“Game Changers”series.

On top of all that, Jepsen’s double LP“Day And Night”arrives September 18. The record pulls from her relationship with husband and collaborator Cole M.G.N. and their life as a new family. So it’s a busy season for her, and it all ties together in a pretty sweet way.

Have you ever named a child or a pet after a character from a show? Tell us the story in the comments.