Macaulay Culkin is a name that many of us are familiar with - but do you know that that isn't his legal name?
Culkin captured hearts as the mischievous Kevin McCallister in the beloved Christmas classic Home Alone - which for the record, is great to watch all year round.
From his breakout role at the age of 10 in Home Alone to subsequent hits like My Girl and Richie Rich throughout the 90s, Culkin solidified his status as one of the most successful and recognizable child stars in the history of cinema.
Despite being a household name for decades, it seems that many of us have been unaware of his actual legal name until now.
In 2021, Culkin initiated a poll on his website Bunny Ears, challenging his fans to propose a new middle name for him through a public vote. This unexpected endeavor aimed to rid him of a middle name that he himself candidly described as "something dumb."
Culkin, whose full birth name is Macaulay Carson Culkin, explained: "My middle name is something dumb. Larry? Orange? Honestly, I can't even remember it. So I asked you all to send in some better options so I can go down to the courthouse and explain to a judge why I need to change my middle name to something cool."
The response from his fans was overwhelming, with "hundreds of suggestions" pouring in. Among the creative and quirky proposals were names like "Shark Week," "Kieran" (a nod to his younger actor brother), "TheMcRibIsBack," and "Publicity Stunt."
Following an impressive tally of 10,000 votes, a clear winner emerged: "Macaulay Culkin."
As reported by It's Gone Viral, the actor's new legal name is now officially "Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin."
Naturally, people either find the new name hilarious or are a bit shocked at the bizarre nature of it all.
One Twitter user humorously said: "We're watching Home Alone 2 and I just remembered that Macaulay Culkin changed his name to Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin. Magic."
Another user added: "#1 on list of greatest Christmas truths is that God became man and came and dwelt with us. Also on the list - though further down - is that Macaulay Culkin's legal middle name is 'Macaulay Culkin.'"
In a similar vein, another tweet shared: "Little known fact: Macaulay Culkin's full legal name is Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin after he allowed the internet to choose his middle name and they chose Macaulay Culkin [...] He stood by his word - LEGEND."
Personally, I think Macaulay Macaulay Culkin Culkin is a great name but Shark Week is also a favorite because everybody loves Shark Week.