A handful of Hollywood stars have stepped forward to correct the mispronunciation of their names, sparking a conversation about identity, branding, and the power of a single syllable. From Denzel Washington’s mother-initiated nickname to Paul Mescal’s tequila-inspired humor, the stories show how a name can become a brand-and how easily it can be mangled.
The Pronunciation Puzzle
Names are personal, yet public figures often face a chorus of wrong pronunciations. The mispronunciation can stem from media, fans, or even the celebrities’ own families. In a recent September appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! Denzel Washington took the stage to set the record straight: “My name is not actually pronounced Denzel,” he clarified. “My name is pronounced Denzel.” Washington explained that the nickname was born from his mother, Lennis Washington, who said, “Denzel?” whenever he and his father, Denzel Washington Sr., appeared together. “From now on, you’re Denzel,” she told him, and the mispronunciation stuck.
The Kelce brothers offer a parallel story. In a 2023 episode of New Heights, their father Ed said, “At work, that was my work name. Everybody at work did that so I just said, ‘Fine, screw this, I’m gonna do that.'” Jason and Travis debated whether to keep the family nickname “Kel-see” or adopt the correct surname “Kels.” Travis ultimately chose the latter, but the debate highlighted how even close family ties can influence a public name.
Celebrity Mispronunciations Explained
Paul Mescal – “Mess-Cull” vs. Mezcal
In 2023, The Hollywood Reporter recorded Paul Mescal explaining that people confuse his name with the Mexican spirit mezcal. “People get confused on how to pronounce my name because of the drink mezcal,” Mescal said. “Everybody does it, except I pronounce it mess-cull.” He added, “If I launched a tequila line, I’d call it Mescal’s Mezcal,” a playful nod to the mispronunciation.
Zendaya – The Zen-Day-uh Debate
Zendaya has been proactive about her name. In a 2016 Allure video, she clarified, “In case you are wondering it’s Zendaya. Z-E-N Zen, D-A-Y Day, UH A.” A later 2016 video on her website added, “I think a lot of people see my name and think it’s more fancy than it is. They think Zendaya like papaya. It’s just day.”
Kirsten Dunst – “Keer-Sten” vs. “Kerr-Sten”
Kirsten Dunst, who was interviewed by Town & Country in August 2025, noted that fans often say her name as “kerr-sten” or “criss-ten.” She said, “I don’t blame people. You just give up.”
Taylor Lautner – Out-Rhyming First Syllable
In a February 2022 interview with E! News, Lautner explained that the first syllable of his last name rhymes with “out” rather than “lot.”
Ayo Edebiri – A Pet Peeve
Edebiri, who has never complained about mispronunciations, admitted that it is her “pet peeve” when people mispronounce anyone’s name. She urged fans to pronounce hers as she introduced herself, for instance at the 2022 Emmys.
Tana Mongeau – French Roots
Alex Warren called out Tana Mongeau on a 2022 episode of Locked In for the unusual pronunciation of her last name. Mongeau replied, “Take it up with the French, I didn’t create it.”
Emily Ratajkowski – The Polish Way
In a TikTok shared by Tory Burch, Ratajkowski clarified the “Polish way” to say her name: “Rat-Ah-Cow-Skee.” She also introduced herself on the platform as “Rat-Ah-Cow-Skee.”
Tove Lo – Swedish vs. American
Lo explained in a 2022 TikTok that the Swedish pronunciation is “Toovaloo,” but she still answers to “TUV-LOW.”
Raven-Symoné – See-Mon-Ye
A January 2023 TikTok revealed that Raven-Symoné’s name has been mispronounced for years and is actually “See-Mon-Ye.”
Brendan Fraser – Razor-Like
After Adam Sandler mispronounced Fraser’s name in a December 2022 Variety interview, Fraser shared a trick: his name rhymes with razor.
Haim – Hi-Um
In a 2013 tutorial video, Danielle Haim corrected her sister: “That was one, you’re wrong.” The correct pronunciation is two syllables: “Hi-Um.”
Adele – Uh-Dale
During a Q&A in October 2022, Adele praised a fan for pronouncing her name perfectly as “uh-dale.”
Lindsay Lohan – Lo-Wen
A February 2022 TikTok introductory video set the record straight: Lohan’s last name is “Lo-wen.”
Alicia Silverstone – Ali-See-Yuh
Silverstone clarified on TikTok that she is not bothered if fans miss it, but her mother was upset. She urged fans to say, “Ali-SEE-yuh.”
Kesha – Keh-Sha
Kesha posted on TikTok, “My name is Kesha. Keh-sha. Not Keisha. Not Ketchup. Kesha.”
Justin Theroux – Theroux
Paul Theroux, in an Apple TV+ interview, explained that the name is often mispronounced, including by Justin himself: “Sometimes he calls himself Justin tha-row [laughs]. It’s a French name, it’s Theroux.”
Ariana Grande – Gran-Dee
In 2018, during a Beats 1 interview with Ebro Darden about her engagement to Pete Davidson, Grande clarified her surname: “Gran-dee.”
Chrissy Teigen – Tie-Ghen
On Live With Kelly and Ryan in 2018, Teigen admitted her name had been mispronounced for 25 years and she was tired of correcting people.
Gal Gadot – Guh-Dote
Gadot discussed her name on Jimmy Kimmel, noting it means “Riverbank” in Hebrew. She revealed her family name was previously Greenstein.
Jake Gyllenhaal – Yee-Len-Hey-Lo
In a 2012 Conan appearance, Gyllenhaal joked that his name is only pronounced correctly in Sweden and at Ikea.
Ralph Fiennes – Ray-F-Fines
In 2011, Fiennes told The Hollywood Reporter he would never change his name, as it was given by his step-grandfather.
Sade Adu – Shar-Day
The singer’s IMDb page lists her stage name as “Shar-day.”
Steve Buscemi – Boo-Sem-Ee
In 2014, Buscemi confirmed his name is pronounced “boo-sem-ee” during a panel. He noted he does not correct people if they say “boo-shh-em-me” because “it’s not wrong.”
Charlize Theron – There-In
In 2014, Theron told Jimmy Fallon that her name is always botched. “They screw it up,” she quipped. “I almost want to make an audiotape on how to pronounce my name.”
Anya Taylor-Joy – Anne-Ya
The Queen’s Gambit star clarified that her name is pronounced “Anne-ya,” not “awn-ya.”
Amanda Seyfried – Sigh-Frid
In a 2012 Hollywood Streams interview, Seyfried explained her name is pronounced “sigh-frid,” though she noted her sister says it differently.
Key Takeaways
- Celebrity names often carry personal and cultural significance that can be lost in public usage.
- Mispronunciations can arise from family habits, media, or fan assumptions.
- Many stars use social media, interviews, and public appearances to correct the record.
The conversation around celebrity names is more than a matter of sound-it reflects identity, branding, and the responsibility of the media and fans to honor how individuals wish to be called. By listening to the voices that own these names, we can appreciate the nuance behind each syllable.
