It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiastar Rob McElhenney is legally changing his name, and it may come as a surprise. McElhenney co-createdIt’s Always Sunnydecades ago, and the FX series that began with a minute budget has blossomed into one of the most beloved sitcoms of all time. Now, audiences awaitIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiaseason 17, which premieres in early July.
Varietyrecently reported thatRob McElhenney is officially changing his name to “Rob Mac,“which he had previously discussed in an interview back in May. His reasoning is that the name Mac is easier for others to pronounce, which will benefit his businesses, especially internationally. He explains, “People already call me ‘Rob Mac’ or ‘Mac,’ obviously from the TV show. It just makes things so much easier.”
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When you’ve starred in the longest-running sitcom of all time for two decades, audiences are bound to associate you with a character. For example, Rainn Wilson has often shared his thoughts about fans ofThe Officegenuinely believing him to be Dwight Schrute.It’s not surprising that Rob McElhenney would be linked with hisIt’s Always Sunnycharacter, especially given that the name Mac was drawn from the first syllable of his last name. Charlie Day similarly plays Charlie Kelly on the series.
The last name “McElhenney” comes from the actor’s Irish descent, and it’s often been challenging for audiences to pronounce. Ryan Reynolds, who partnered with McElhenney onWelcome to Wrexham, even created a music video joking about the difficulty people have pronouncing the name. He won’t be the first Hollywood star to embrace using a different name. Michael Keaton was born Michael John Douglas, but used Keaton as his stage name because Michael Douglas was already an established movie star.
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I’m not going to criticize anyone for making a choice that makes them more comfortable with who they are, especially not a creator whom I’ve admired for years. As someone with a long last name that no one can pronounce, I totally get where he’s coming from. My family has often abbreviated “Papadopoulos” to “Pop” for the same reason.Rob McElhenny is a public figure whose name matters for branding, and I totally support him using a stage name to ease that aspect of his life.
McElhenney is pronounced “Mackle-Henney.”
However, there’s part of me that, on a broader scale, wishes this sort of thing wasn’t necessary. If someone cares, they can make the effort to learn how to pronounce a last name. Maybe it’s just an idealistic perspective, butI’mgenerally going to be in support of people keeping beautiful, traditional, cultural names. As for theIt’s Always Sunny in Philadelphiastar in particular, it’s whatever floats his boat.
