Rob McElhenney, beloved star of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is making a major change that fans may find oddly satisfying – he’s legally becoming Rob Mac. 
Known as ‘Mac’ on the long-running comedy series, McElhenney has embraced the name professionally and personally, and now it’s becoming official.
In a recent interview with Variety alongside his creative partner Ryan Reynolds, McElhenney explained the practical reasons behind the change. As his production company, More Better Productions, expands globally – including investments in football clubs in South America – the pronunciation of ‘McElhenney’ has become a consistent stumbling block.
“In other parts of the world, my name is even harder to pronounce,” he said. “So I’m just going by Rob Mac.”
The pronunciation difficulties reached meme levels when Reynolds famously gifted McElhenney a birthday song in April 2023, poking fun at the complexity of his name. The tune, featuring both Wrexham locals and celebrities, joked about the ‘N’s, ‘E’s and ‘H’s that “perplex ‘em.”
While the legal paperwork is now in motion, not everyone at home is thrilled. Kaitlin Olson, McElhenney’s wife and fellow Sunny star, admitted their kids aren’t too pleased: “The kids are really not happy about it, because they have that last name. And so do I, legally!”
Still, fans of It’s Always Sunny are likely to cheer the change – after all, he’s been ‘Mac’ to viewers for over 16 seasons. With Season 17 premiering July 6 on FXX, audiences can now officially celebrate Mac being… well, Mac. Legally.