Ashley Tisdale Surprises Fans with New Name 11 Years After Marriage

Ashley Tisdale has officially embraced a new chapter of her life, both personally and professionally, announcing that she will now be known as Ashley French.

The High School Musical alum, 40, shared the decision in an candid TikTok video, explaining that while she has used her married name privately for years, she finally felt ready to make the change public.

Tisdale has been married to musician Christopher French for 11 years.

‘I’ve been Ashley French for so long at home,’ she explained. ‘But I’ve never really changed [my name] publicly because everybody knows me as Ashley Tisdale. I just felt like it was time for people to know me for me, and not just for a character or a celebrity.’

The singer said the shift reflects a deeper desire to step into a more authentic version of herself, particularly as she navigates her 40s and life as a mother. 

The actress shares daughters Jupiter, 4, and Emerson, 13 months, with her husband, and said she now has ‘so much to talk about’ beyond her early Disney fame.

‘I’ve never really been this intimate before, but I have so much to talk about, especially now in my 40s, having my kids, being a parent, running a company,’ she said.

While Tisdale has long shared glimpses of her family life online, she revealed that the evolving nature of social media has prompted her to create a more intentional space for connection through her wellness brand and website, By Ashley French. 

She described the platform as a safe space to document her motherhood journey and explore topics close to her heart.

‘I just think Instagram has changed a lot,’ she explained. ‘At this point, you don’t know what’s real and what’s a bot. Everyone always has something to say, and it might not be positive, not that I want to block out the negativity. But I felt like in order to protect my peace, I didn’t want to keep sharing that way.’

Fans quickly flooded the comments with support, applauding her decision to reclaim her identity and step outside the shadow of her iconic roles.

‘Ashley French is beautiful and I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to make that switch,’ one follower wrote.

Another added, ‘I understand the identity thing in my own way. I’m a stay at home mom and it seems like that’s all I am. Mom… I’m glad you’re getting to be your true self in front of everyone! You’re more than Sharpay or Candace!’

Others echoed similar sentiments, celebrating both her personal growth and business success.

‘I just want to get to know YOU better Mrs. French!! You were a huge role model growing up & now so this intimate ft feel is to die for,’ one fan commented, while another praised her entrepreneurial journey, writing, ‘I do love seeing your brand boom and seeing what makes you a real person! You’ve been my favorite since Disney and I love your Frenshe products!’

One even declared that ‘Ashley French actually sounds better than Ashley Tisdale.’

Her post comes just weeks after opening up about her complicated feelings towards diet culture and Ozempic. 

While the former Disney star admitted that she has been tempted to use the weight loss drug, but has ultimately decided against using it.

In a candid essay, Tisdale voiced her frustration about weight loss, diet culture, and body image, in which she lamented ‘we keep moving the goalposts and it’s exhausting.’

Tisdale, who shares two children with her husband Christopher French, relayed her feelings in a blog post uploaded on her website.

She wrote, ‘To be clear: I have absolutely ZERO judgment toward anyone using Ozempic or other similar medications. Zero. Just like with plastic surgery or any other personal decision about your body, I believe it’s yours to make.

‘If a shot helps you feel healthier and more comfortable in your body, I fully support that. These drugs can be life-changing, and for many people, they are truly transformative.

‘But when I see people who are already thin signing up for it, I can’t help but think of how body trends keep shifting. In the 2000s it was big boobs, then suddenly flat chests were in.

‘The 2010s brought body positivity, and now it’s like we’re back to chasing ultra-slim everything. We keep moving the goalposts and it’s exhausting.’

Tisdale noted that the culture and online commentary about Ozempic and body image has ‘made it harder’ to drown out the noise.

‘People pick apart bodies on the internet in ways they’d never dare say to someone’s face,’ she said.

‘Speculating (“is she pregnant?”) and critiquing (“she looks gaunt!”) is treated like it’s normal, but it’s not.

‘All of it leaves people feeling like no matter what they do, they’ll be judged. You really can’t win. Which is why, at the end of the day, the only thing that matters is how you feel in your own body.

‘For me, even though there are days I’ve been tempted, I’ve decided that Ozempic isn’t the right move for me. I’m not against Western medicine by any means, but I like to take a holistic view of weight, which is so deeply tied to hormones, sleep, food, mental health, genetics, and stress. (And sometimes autoimmune issues, which I personally live with.)’ 

Since having her second child, Emerson, last year, Tisdale has ‘worked hard to accept my body as it’s evolved through two pregnancies, immune flare-ups, and different seasons of womanhood.’

‘Maybe it would have gone faster with a GLP-1, but that wasn’t the path I took,’ she wrote.

‘Some of the things that have helped me reconnect with my body postpartum are following a macro-based lifestyle, doing yoga and Pilates, and walking 12,000 steps a day.’

Concluding her post, Tisdale urged people to practice self-kindness.

‘The real win is making peace with the person in the mirror — today, tomorrow, and every season after,’ she said.

‘I’m not using Ozempic, but if you are, that’s your call and it’s completely valid. There’s no one right way to do this. What matters is choosing the path that helps you feel strong, confident, and at home in your own body.’

Tisdale’s remarks on Ozempic and body image resonated with many social media users, who agreed with her take.

Commenting on Reddit, one said: ‘She has a point about who is using it and why, and it’s so sad to see how far people are willing to go for a body size they deem ideal or needed or to even just take Ozempic for the sake of taking it.’

Echoing a similar sentiment, another wrote: ‘She makes a solid point. When it’s solely for aesthetics, it is rarely healthy.’

‘She’s not wrong,’ added a third. ‘I grew up during the heroin chic phase and man, it did a f***** number on me. And here I am, a couple of decades later, still trying to unpack all of it. I feel like we are back in that phase again and it depresses me.’

Ozempic (semaglutide) is an injectable medication for Type 2 diabetes. It helps improve blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of major cardiovascular events.

It works by mimicking the GLP-1 hormone, aiding insulin release and slowing digestion to control appetite. Administered weekly, it supports weight management and overall health when combined with diet and exercise.