Will Ferrell admits he was 'so embarrassed' by his real name when he was growing up

Will Ferrell has admitted he was ‘so embarrassed’ by his real name when he was growing up.

Yep, the iconic household name that we all know and love so well isn’t actually his real one.

The 56-year-old, known for countless films such as the likes of Get Hard, Step Brothers and Elf, refused to even use his real name on the school register when he was a kid.

On today’s (9 July) episode of Christine Applegate and Jamie-Lynn Sigler’s MeSsy podcast, Ferrell appeared as the celebrity guest to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of Ferrell and Applegate's comedy hit Anchorman: The Legend of Rob Burgundy.

Will, or is it? (Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images)

But obviously, they didn’t just talk about the legendary film as they looked back on his launching career on Saturday Night Live in the 90s.

Applegate asked her co-star if he always liked being part of groups when he was growing up. And he admitted he always felt that ‘being funny was an easy way to make friends’ when he was younger.

This then led to the Daddy’s Home star making a confession about his name.

"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 revealed.

“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 and Christina in Anchorman (CBS via Getty Images)

He even described it as ‘excruciating' when his teachers would forget to call him Will.

And this wasn’t even just a choice he made himself.

"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,” the star added.

It made it even worse for him when other kids at school would then start asking him why he kept correcting his teachers.

"I don't know why that was so embarrassing to me to have to explain 'I'm actually Will.’”

Well, quite the minor life problem I guess. Oh, but he knows it.

“People are probably going to be listening to this going 'That is the lamest thing ever,” Ferrell joked, as Applegate replied: "We just lost anyone named John."