Denzel Washington has dropped a surprising bombshell: we’ve all been mispronouncing his name—sort of!

During an appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" to promote his newest film, "Highest 2 Lowest," the Oscar-winning star shared the fascinating backstory behind his name.

The conversation took a turn towards Washington's football fandom, particularly his love for the Dallas Cowboys. Kimmel prompted him by asking who his favorite player was.

In a lighthearted manner, Washington quipped, "Anybody Black," revealing he had a particular affection for running backs, the very position he once played.

Kimmel then noted the rise of players named Denzel in the NFL, and it sparked an interesting comment from Washington.

"This is how you know they named themselves after me," he joked. "Because my name is not pronounced Den-zelle. It’s Denzle. I’m Denzel Jr.; my dad is Denzel Hayes Washington Sr."

He elaborated further with a touching memory: when his mother called for him, both he and his father would come running. Frustrated one day, she decided to officially designate him as "Denzel (Den-zelle)," which led to the pronunciation most people use today.

Fans are now left wondering how many other names we’ve been saying wrong, but one thing's for sure: Denzel Washington isn’t about to let it slide!