Trisha Paytas goes viral again after fans link her to Pope Leo XIV over birthday coincidence

The internet is once again buzzing over Trisha Paytas and her now infamous link to global events, following the news that Pope Leo XIV, the first American pope, shares a September 14 birthday with her daughter, Malibu Barbie.

The odd coincidence has sparked renewed interest in the ongoing viral theory that Paytas’ children are somehow “reincarnations” of historic world leaders.

The theory began in 2022, when Queen Elizabeth II died just one day before the birth of Paytas’ first child. The timing led social media to jokingly claim that the Queen had been “reborn” as Malibu Barbie. Memes, tweets, and viral videos turned the moment into a recurring internet joke that has only gained traction with time.

Earlier in 2025, Paytas announced she was pregnant with her third child—just weeks before the death of Pope Francis. Fans immediately picked up where they left off, humorously speculating that her next baby could be the reincarnation of the pontiff. The theory exploded again when it was revealed that Pope Leo XIV (Robert Prevost) was confirmed on May 8, Trisha's own birthday, and that he shares a birthday with her daughter.

To add fuel to the fire, both Paytas and Pope Leo XIV are from Illinois, intensifying fan jokes that the connections are beyond coincidence. Online comments ranged from, “The devil works hard, but Trisha Paytas works harder,” to “Have we ever seen Trisha and the pope in the same room?”

While obviously satirical, the theory continues to thrive because it taps into the absurd and unpredictable nature of internet humor. Paytas herself acknowledged the viral joke on her podcast, Just Trish, even musing that she might name her baby “Pope” or “Francis.”

This latest coincidence only deepens Trisha’s place in one of the internet’s strangest and most persistent meme universes.