Fans of Rob McElhenney, best known for his role as Mac on *It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia*, can now officially call him ‘Mac’ – and not just on-screen. The actor has made a bold decision to legally change his last name, aligning it with his beloved character.
The change comes after McElhenney realized that his surname was becoming a pronunciation hurdle, particularly in regions where his name was difficult for Spanish speakers to pronounce. As he expanded his business ventures globally, including his investment in Wrexham Football Club and soccer teams in South America, it became clear that simplifying his name would be a smoother move.
McElhenney explained in a 2023 interview with Ryan Reynolds that, in the midst of business expansion and global storytelling, he decided to officially adopt the name ‘Rob Mac’ to make it easier for people around the world to say. “As our business and our storytelling is expanding into other regions of the world and other languages, my name is even harder to pronounce, so I’m just going by Rob Mac,” he shared.
Reynolds, McElhenney’s creative partner and co-owner of Wrexham FC, even had fun with the pronunciation issue by composing a humorous song for McElhenney’s birthday in 2023. The song, which was performed alongside Wrexham locals, poked fun at the complexity of McElhenney’s surname, celebrating the challenge it posed for their Spanish-speaking colleagues.
While McElhenney’s decision to change his last name is pragmatic, it’s also a family affair. His wife, *It’s Always Sunny* co-star Kaitlin Olsen, and their children have been less than thrilled about the change. Olsen jokingly mentioned to *Variety* that their kids aren’t happy with the idea of losing the last name. However, for McElhenney, it’s a small change with a big impact on his personal and professional life.
It’s an interesting move for a star who’s used to being recognized as ‘Mac’ by millions. Now, thanks to this legal name change, Rob McElhenney is officially ‘Mac’ in every sense of the word. And as *It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia* fans gear up for the arrival of season 17, scheduled to premiere on FXX on July 6, McElhenney’s name change is just one more fun twist in his long-running career.