Will Ferrell mocked after revealing “embarrassing” real name

Sorry, Will Ferrell fans: your favorite comedy star has been sitting on a throne of lies for decades, as it turns out that isn’t his real name.

Some stage names are obvious; do you really think they were born, and their parents named them Lorde, Snoop Dogg, and Eminem?

Others aren’t as obvious (like Reese Witherspoon), monikers crafted specifically to be more palatable or singular to general audiences. For example, Nicolas Cage changed his name from Nicolas Kim Coppola to separate himself from the Megalopolis director, so he could succeed on his own credit.

Will Ferrell’s real name is a bit surprising, considering it’s barely any different and just as ordinary: it’s John William Ferrell.

Warner Bros.

The actor appeared on Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler’s MeSsy podcast, where he confessed to feeling “embarrassed” when people would call him John growing up.

“This is a minor thing in terms of – it’s not really even trauma – but I remember feeling so embarrassed because my real name is John, John William Ferrell, so first day of school, I’d be John,” he explained.

“The teacher would be like ‘John Ferrell?’ and it was so embarrassing to me to have to say ‘Here, but I go by Will, I don’t go by John.'”

Ferrell said it was “excruciating” when teachers would call him John. “My parents named [me] John but they called me Will. I grew up as Will, but on a rule sheet, my legal name is John Ferrell,” he added.

Understandably, fans don’t have much sympathy. “That’s a peak first-world problem,” one user wrote on Reddit. “He was embarrassed by John?” another commented.

“He must’ve thrown up every time he’s worked with John C. Reilly,” a third joked.

“Do not feel Will Ferrell’s pain. There are bigger traumas in childhood than your given name being John but you go by Will and on the first day of school your teacher calls you John,” a fourth added.

There’s another problem: Ferrell has just disrespected the world’s Johns all at once. “You have made yourself a powerful enemy, Will,” one John wrote.

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