As with many celebrities you see and hear about, Will Ferrell is not actually the Stepbrothers actor’s real name.

In fact, Ferrell rarely gets addressed by his real name and would get “so embarrassed” if it was ever brought up.

In celebration of Anchorman‘s 20th anniversary, Ferrel joined his costar Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler (Big Sky) on their MeSsy podcast, where he discussed his legal name.

What is Will Ferrell’s real name?

Ferrell’s legal name is John William Ferrell.

Discussing his youth with Applegate, Ferrell mentioned that he was able to make friends easily thanks to “being funny”.

However, he mentioned that the start of every school year could be quite embarrassing for him thanks to his real name rearing its head.

“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,” Ferrel recalled on the podcast.

“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.’ “

Does Ferrell ever use his real first name?

Ferrell noted it took a while for his teachers to remember that he actually went by Will and not John, which was “excruciating”.

He also explained that kids at school would ask about his name after hearing him correct the teachers.

“I don’t know why that was so embarrassing to me to have to explain ‘I’m actually Will’,” he said.

“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.”

Ferrell told Applegate that he doesn’t like his legal name because it wasn’t his “choice”.

To be fair, I know a few people who’ve gone by their middle name their whole lives.

If you’re keen to love some lamp after reading this, you can watch Anchorman on Stan.

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