Fact Check: Did Dolly Parton’s Nashville airport renaming petition reach 140,000 signatures?

NASVILLE, TENNESSEE: A petition to rename Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton has gained widespread attention following the country music icon’s death. 

The campaign has sparked a wave of reactions online, with supporters calling for the airport to carry Parton’s name. Posts about the petition have spread across social media, raising questions about how much support the campaign has received. Has the petition really reached 140,000 signatures?

Claim: Petition to rename Nashville International Airport after Dolly Parton reaches 140K signatures

The rumor began with an X user named Interesting AF, who claimed, “A petition to rename Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport has now surged to over 140,000 signatures.”

Another X user said more than 136,000 people had signed a petition to rename the airport in Parton’s honor.

Fans have called for Nashville International Airport to be renamed “Dolly Parton International Airport” as a tribute to the singer and actress.

The Change.org petition launched in January 2025, and online posts claimed that the number of signatures rose sharply after Parton’s reported death.

The petition was started by Nashville-based comedian and Parton fan Lydia Popovich and local photographer Dan Dion.

They said they came up with the idea after traveling through Nashville International Airport and feeling that Parton better represented Tennessee to visitors. The petition had remained at around 50,000 signatures for some time before gaining renewed attention.

Popovich said she initially did not think about the petition after learning of Parton’s death. However, supporters soon contacted her, and she noticed that the campaign was gaining momentum again.

“People want to remember her. They want to remember even beyond the immediacy of her death,” Popovich said. “I feel like this is Nashville’s way of telling Dolly that we love her forever.”

Fact Check: The claim is true

The claim is true. A Change.org petition titled “Rename Nashville International Airport to Dolly Parton International Airport” has received more than 140K signatures.

However, the airport is unlikely to be renamed soon. The petition has gained strong public support from people including singer Sheryl Crow, Nashville Metro Council member Russ Bradford and Tennessee state Rep Todd Warner.

Bradford is preparing a resolution to encourage the airport authority to consider the idea, while Warner has said he plans to introduce legislation in the next legislative session.

The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA) has the final say on any name change. A petition, city council resolution or state legislation alone cannot rename the airport. Any change would also involve the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

MNAA's naming policy also creates a major hurdle. The policy generally requires at least two years to pass after a person's death before a facility can be renamed after them. Airport officials have acknowledged the public interest and said any proposal would have to follow the formal process.

Renaming the airport could also bring additional costs for new signs, branding and other updates. An ongoing legal dispute between Metro Nashville and the state over control of the airport board could add further complications.

For now, the airport has honored Parton's legacy in other ways. It lit its parking garages pink following her death and recognized her contributions as a Tennessee icon, philanthropist and cultural ambassador.