Will Ferrell Admits He Was 'So Embarrassed' By His Legal First Name Growing Up

Will Ferrell opened up about a childhood vulnerability and simultaneously revealed his real first name, which many fans weren't familiar with.

The SNL alum and recipient of the esteemed Mark Twain Prize for American Humor reunited with his Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy co-star Christina Applegate, joined by her MeSsy podcast co-host Jamie-Lynn Sigler, to spill the tea.

Ferrell shared on the June 9 episode of the podcast:

“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."

The 56-year-old comedian continued:

“So, first day of school, I’d be John. 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.’ ”

You can listen to the full podcast here, with the bit about Ferrell's legal first name starting at the hour and 18-minute mark.

Ferrell was on the podcast to mark the 20th anniversary of his and Applegate's 2004 satirical comedy Anchorman, which became a cult classic and is considered one of Ferrell's best comedies.

The film follows a San Diego, California news station in 1974, when Ferrell's title character clashes with a new female anchorwoman named Veronica Corningstone, played by Applegate.

It was a box office hit and is regarded as one of the best comedy films of all time.

Will Ferrell Reaction GIFGiphy

Fans loved hearing Ferrell and Applegate resume their banter and pick back up right where they left off so many years ago.

@messypodcast/Instagram

@messypodcast/Instagram

@messypodcast/Instagram

@messypodcast/Instagram

@messypodcast/Instagram

@messypodcast/Instagram

The franchise includes a straight-to-DVD companion piece called Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie, released a few months after the first film, and a 2013 sequel called Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues.

Every week on the MeSsy podcast, Applegate and Sigler discuss the various "curveballs that life can throw," which in their case is a shared struggle with multiple sclerosis.

According to the podcast's description, the pair "self-reflect, learn, laugh, and grow through their own raw and often-times hilarious conversations with each other, friends, co-stars, and the people that keep them going through the messiness of life."