Denzel Washington fans disappointed after discovering how you actually say his name

Denzel Washington fans have been left confused after realising they may have been saying his name wrong this entire time.

The name deserving of a Hollywood superstar may have been very different if it wasn't for the actor's mum Lennis Washington.

The double Academy Award winner explained the dilemma on a 2013 episode of The Graham Norton Show, alongside the likes of British actor Nicholas Hoult and comedian Bill Bailey.

Watch below:

Denzel was promoting his 2012 film Flight, which sees him star as alcoholic William Whitaker, an airline pilot who miraculously crash-lands his plane after a mechanical failure.

But the highlight of the show was when host Graham Norton apologised for pronouncing Denzel's name wrong.

The American Gangster actor explained that his iconic moniker is actually pronounced as 'Den-zul' and not 'Denzelle', as we've been saying it all these years.

But he clarified that 'Denzelle' is what his mum called him because his father's name was also Denzel.

Denzel Washington fans have been left confused after realising they may have been saying his name wrong. (Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images for Byron Allen AMG/TheGRIO Awards)

As you can imagine, in a household where two people have the same name, things can get pretty confusing.

That's why Lennis decided to pronounce her son's name as 'Denzelle' to avoid getting their names mixed up.

And the way you say his name seemed to have stuck for all of these years.

I mean, let's be honest, 'Denzelle' sounds a lot cooler than 'Den-zul'.

With the clip resurfacing on social media, fans have been stunned by the revelation.

"His mama call him Den-ZEL, I’mma call him Den-ZEL…," one fan wrote, as another added: "Shoutout to his momma for giving us this legend."

"Denzel in distress," a third joked.

His father's name was also Denzel. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

"I am sorry the way his mother changed his name was perfect for Hollywood," thought a fourth, with someone else agreeing: "His mom was smart. Her version sounds cooler."

Sadly, Lennis passed away in 2021 at the age of 97.

"A mother is a son's first true love," the Fences actor said on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

"A son, especially that first son, is a mother's last true love.

"She was there for everything, and she went home."

Of their strong bong, Denzel, now 69, added: "I don't know if I was her favourite, I gave her the hardest time. I can tell you that."

Well his mum certainly made the right choice with his name.