Olly Murs said his newborn son Albert was named for his great-grandfather, Edward “Albert” Murs, a choice the singer says was inspired by research on the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?. The announcement came as Murs and his wife, fitness influencer Amelia, settle into life with their second child and their daughter, Madison.
Posting a photograph holding the newborn, Murs wrote that the name was chosen after his appearance on the BBC programme. "A few people been asking why we chose the name Albert… it’s after my great-grandad Edward ‘Albert’ Murs," he wrote. "Me & Amelia loved the name after I was on BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? and now our little man gets to carry that bit of family history into the future… love you son [heart emoj]."
Murs appeared on Who Do You Think You Are? last year, during which the programme traced parts of his family history to Latvia. The episode followed his search to learn what happened to his grandfather, Eddie, and how he came to Britain. Investigations for the show revealed that members of Murs’s family had been circus performers and uncovered a wartime decision that contributed to a long estrangement within the family.
During filming in Riga, Murs visited the former Salamonska Circus building in the hope of meeting his great-grandmother, Veronika Jankovska. The research also revealed an affair by his grandfather that family members said had complicated relationships across generations. Murs described an emotional moment on the programme when his father became visibly upset; Murs said seeing his father cry felt like he had given the family some connection to its past.
The singer and his wife confirmed the birth of their son last week. Murs has said he is planning to be more present during the newborn period than he was after the couple’s first child: after Madison’s birth he left home 48 hours later to support Take That on tour. Over the weekend he told fans at BBC Radio 2 In The Park that he promised his wife he would return home immediately after his performance.
Representatives for Murs did not provide further comment. The naming reflects a pattern among public figures who draw on genealogical research for personal choices and family commemoration. Murs continues to perform while balancing the early weeks with his new son and his responsibilities as a father of two.