Petition to Rename Nashville Airport After Dolly Parton Surges
A petition to rename Nashville International Airport in honor of Dolly Parton has surged past 85,000 signatures following the country music icon's death, and at least one Tennessee lawmaker is now pledging to turn the campaign into actual legislation.
The Change.org petition, which calls for the airport to become "Dolly Parton International Airport," was originally launched in January 2025 by Nashville residents Lydia Popovich and Dan Dion, a comedian and comedy producer, respectively. It had gathered roughly 54,000 signatures before Parton's death Tuesday; more than 30,000 additional signatures were added in the days immediately following.
Why the Petition Started in the First Place
The renaming effort didn't originate as a tribute campaign. It began in response to a separate push in the Tennessee Legislature to rename the airport after President Donald Trump. Popovich and Dion argued at the time that Parton, given her decades of contributions to Tennessee and her global cultural influence, was the more fitting choice. In a 2025 statement, they wrote, "We request that the airport's name be changed to Dolly Parton International Airport to honor an icon who has given so much to our state and to the world."
The petition specifically points to Parton's Imagination Library, the literacy nonprofit she founded in 1995 that has since distributed more than 100 million free books to children, as one of the central reasons she deserves the honor. The Trump renaming bill was ultimately voted down by Republican legislators in March 2025, and the Parton petition lost momentum in the months that followed, until Parton's death this week reignited public interest.
A Lawmaker Steps In
Tennessee state Rep. Todd Warner responded directly to the petition's renewed momentum, telling reporters, "Yes I will definitely introduce legislation to rename the BNA airport Dolly Parton International Airport." His comments mark the first concrete political commitment tied to the campaign since it began.
Any official renaming would ultimately require action from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee rather than the Metro Nashville Airport Authority alone, according to reporting on the effort. The airport authority had previously studied what a rebranding effort would involve, estimating the total cost of a full name change at roughly $10.34 million.
How the Airport Has Responded So Far
Nashville International Airport has not commented on the renaming push directly, but it has taken steps of its own to honor Parton following her death. An airport spokesperson said, "Dolly Parton was not only a singer and songwriter but also a philanthropist and entrepreneur. Above all, she was a Tennessee legend.” The airport announced it would light its parking garages pink from Tuesday night through the weekend as a tribute.
The petition itself does not have the power to change the airport's name on its own; any official designation would require formal government action.
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