Will Ferrell reveals why his real name brought him so much embarrassment as a child: 'Excruciating'
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Will Ferrell has revealed why his real name was the source of so much embarrassment growing up.
The legendary comic actor, 56, was born John William Ferrell but was called 'Will' by his parents throughout childhood.
However, the memory of having to awkwardly correct his teachers on the first day of school has stayed with Ferrell to this day.
During an appearance on Christina Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler's podcast MeSsy, Ferrell revealed just how torturous it was for him to tell his teachers he actually went by 'Will' whenever his legal name was called during roll call.
'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,' the actor, who stars in the upcoming film You're Cordially Invited, 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."'
Will Ferrell has opened up why his real name brought him so much embarrassment as a child; pictured 2023
The name issue would typically continue for the remainder of the first week - which Ferrell called 'excruciating.'
'For the first week of school, it took like a week before the teacher remembered, "That's right, you're Will." And that was excruciating,' he explained. 'So the beginning of the school year was always like, "Oh my gosh I hate this. I have to remind the teacher that I'm not John."'
'It wasn't my choice,' Ferrell said when Sigler asked him why he disliked the name 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.'
Ferrell was unable to pinpoint why exactly he found it so embarrassing, but the memory has clearly stuck with him.
'I don't know why that was so embarrassing to me to have to explain "I'm actually Will,"' he recalled.
'People are probably going to be listening to this going "That is the lamest thing ever,"' Ferrell added.
'We just lost anyone named John,' Applegate replied.
During the interview, Ferrell also brought up his 2004 comedy Anchorman - which saw him star opposite Applegate.
A young Ferrell in an undated yearbook photo
Ferrell also praised Christina Applegate's portrayal of news anchor Veronica Corningstone in Anchorman (pictured in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues)
Praising Applegate's portrayal of news anchor Veronica Corningstone, Ferrell said: 'At the end of the day, Christina just checked all the boxes — between funny, smart, tough, because we needed Veronica to stand up to these doofuses, and she was the smartest person in the room.'
Fans can currently catch the legendary actor in the new animated film Despicable Me 4.
Outside of his showbiz career, Ferrell is also a father of three - he shares sons Magnus, 20, Mattias, 17, and Axel, 14, with his wife of nearly 24 years, Viveca Paulin.
The actor has previously opened up about parenting over the years.
Speaking of raising boys, he told People back in 2017: 'There is usually a high volume in the house.
Ferrell with his mother Betty Kay Overman, his wife Viveca Paulin, and two of their three sons, Magnus and Axel at the Despicable Me 4 premiere
'Whether they’re having a great time or whether they’re losing their minds, they are always yelling.'
He also joked about the simple way they like to throw parties.
'We are in the era of birthday parties with a parting gift and a bouncing house and jugglers and a live camel,' he said. 'My wife and I go in the opposite direction.'
'We’re like, "Guess what? We are having a backyard party. We’re going to run around, and at a certain point, cake is going to come out. "Do I get a parting gift?" Yes, a handshake."'
