Paul McCartney's song, "Hey Jude," was dedicated to and named for which young person?

In the summer of 1968, as John Lennon's marriage to his first wife, Cynthia, was ending, Paul McCartney grew concerned for their young son. Feeling deep compassion for the boy who was caught in the middle (Review) of a difficult divorce, McCartney drove out to visit Cynthia and her son to offer his support. On the way, a melody and a message of comfort began to form in his mind. The song started as "Hey Jules," a direct, personal message to the young boy to help him cope with the sadness of his parents' separation.

McCartney later changed the name from "Jules" to "Jude" simply because he thought it sounded better and was stronger to sing. While the song's inspiration was deeply personal, its lyrics about taking a "sad song and make it better" became a universal anthem of hope and encouragement. Interestingly, John Lennon initially believed the song was for him, with Paul giving his blessing for his new relationship with Yoko Ono. McCartney, however, always maintained that the heartfelt ballad was written to console John's son during a painful and confusing time in his childhood.