Rob McElhenney Changes His Name to ‘Rob Mac’

Rob McElhenney, the creator and star of “Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” recently made headlines with a rather amusing monologue announcing his decision to legally change his name to “Rob Mac.” At 48 years old, he revealed this surprising update, stating that the name most people already call him would now be his official name.

In a video shared online, McElhenney, clearly irritated, began with, “I’m going to give this just a minute.” He went on to confirm, “Yes, I’m shortening my name to ‘Rob Mac.’ It’s mainly about stage names, but I’m off track.”

Then he added, “Is that a bit excessive? I guess so. But the time I’ve spent trying to get people to pronounce or spell my name correctly has truly taken days off my life,” he remarked, poking fun at the complexities of names.

He didn’t stop there; he quipped about how his name change might inadvertently mean that “thousands of lives had minutes stolen by me.” He also discussed the pronunciation inconsistencies in his family’s history, sharing how his grandparents and relatives also have variations on the last name.

“We all share this name,” he shared with a sense of pride. “I love my family and want to stay connected with them.” The joke continued as he added, “But it’s just not even the name we use.”

McElhenney referenced official documents featuring alternate spellings, like “McElhennie” and “McIllhenny,” to underline his family’s support for his decision. He expressed hope that fans would focus more on “the many things happening in the world” rather than just his name change.

His wife and co-star, Kaitlin Olson, reportedly had her doubts about the idea during a previous interview. “The kids aren’t thrilled since they have that last name too. And I’m still legal, so…” she remarked, bringing in a dash of concern about the implications for their family.

To combat any confusion over his name change, McElhenney put together a list of famous artists who have gone by stage names, including the likes of John Wayne and Lady Gaga.

He stated that his growing business ventures, along with wanting to simplify things, served as significant motivation for opting for “Rob Mac.” The show’s 17th season of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” is set to premiere on July 9th, so there’s plenty to look forward to, even with the name change.