Taylor Swift, David Beckham and Beyoncé are some of the celebrity namesakes Brits have met in real life.
A poll of 2,000 adults found meeting someone with the same name as a famous face certainly leaves a mark – with 48 per cent saying it makes that person instantly more memorable.
Some have rubbed shoulders with celebrity namesakes such as James Martin, Ian Wright and Martin Lewis.
While other common names include global superstars like Emma Watson, Tom Cruise and even Jennifer Lopez.
It also emerged 56 per cent would never forget someone with a celebrity name, while 29 per cent reckon it’s a great conversation starter.
The research was commissioned to launch Blue Light Card’s new ticketing platform [https://www.bluelightcard.co.uk/en/blue-light-card-tickets], which gives the community free tickets to the most exclusive events from concerts to football finals, to say thank you for their service.
To mark the occasion, five Mrs Carter namesakes who work across the NHS, social care, the police and the Armed Forces, have been treated to a VIP experience at Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter concert in London – complete with glamorous makeovers and paparazzi-style photoshoot.
One was Mrs Addy Carter, from Colchester, who has been a military medic for over five years and spoke about the most rewarding part of her job: “As a medic in the Armed Forces, I get to help people every day and can be deployed overseas to assist with humanitarian aid at a moment’s notice.
“Being able to support people with injuries - to make them feel safe and cared for - makes me so happy and proud of what I do.
“Wherever I’m based, I know I’m making a difference. As part of my work, I also see the incredible effort of NHS staff, which really inspires me.
“I’ve had so much fun meeting some other inspiring Mrs Carters from different industries and hearing about what they do.
“We got glitz and glammed and treated like superstars for a night at the Cowboy Carter Tour to celebrate the launch of Blue Light Tickets.”
According to the study, if they were to meet someone with a celebrity name, 17 per cent admit they wouldn’t be able to resist asking about it – and it helps 25 per cent break the ice instantly.
It also emerged 13 per cent of those polled share a first or last name with an A-lister, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
For 70 per cent of these, it’s regularly mentioned in conversation, and 23 per cent find the encounters amusing.
Tarun Gidoomal, CCO for Blue Light Card, said “Our community are superstars.
“While one Mrs Carter entertains a stadium, ours continue to serve the nation and whether that’s saving lives or supporting their communities, they show up day in, day out.
“Our members told us that they struggle to access live music, with queueing systems and ticket drops clashing with shift patterns.
“For so many in our community, live events are more than just entertainment, it’s that let-your-hair-down feeling after a string of long days and demanding shifts.”
TOP 20 CELEB NAMESAKES BRITS HAVE ENOUNTERED IN REAL LIFE:
1. James Martin
2. Ian Wright
3. Martin Lewis
4. Emma Watson
5. Taylor Swift
6. Beyoncé
7. David Beckham
8. Ruth Jones
9. Robbie Williams
10. Jamie Oliver
11. Jennifer Lopez
12. Tom Cruise
13. Ed Sheeran
14. George Michael
15. John Lennon
16. James May
17. Katy Perry
18. Paul McCartney
19. Angelina Jolie
20. Stephen Graham
