Denzel Washington Clears Up Longtime Mispronunciation of His Name

Denzel Washington has revealed that much of the world has been pronouncing his name incorrectly for years, explaining how a simple adjustment made by his mother ended up defining his public identity.

Denzel Washington has revealed the correct way to pronounce his name. Appearing on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Sept. 2, the Veteran actor explained that most people say it wrong. His full name is Denzel Hayes Washington, Jr.

The actor said the mispronunciation can be traced back to his childhood. Since he and his father shared the same name, both would respond when his mother called “Denzel.” To avoid confusion, she gave her son a slightly different pronunciation.

Denzel Washington explained that his father kept the original version, "Denzel" (den-zil). His mother began calling him "Denzel" (den-zelle), which eventually became the name widely recognized today.

The 70-year-old added that the shift in pronunciation has followed him throughout his career, even as more people named Denzel began appearing in sports and entertainment after his rise to fame. "There’s a lot of Denzels now," the "Highest to Loest" star stated.