Whether you know him as Robin, Eggsy, or Elton, there’s no denying that Taron Egerton has gone by some pretty unique names in his career.
The 32 year-old Welsh actor appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live with guest host Chelsea Handler ahead of the premiere of his new Apple TV Plus show Black Bird. The limited-series prison drama stars Egerton at the helm alongside the late, great Ray Liotta. In the show, Egerton plays a convicted drug dealer presented with the opportunity for freedom in exchange for luring a confession out of a suspected serial killer. The show premieres on July 8 and early reviews already paint the picture of a successful release.
Of course, Egerton is most known for his portrayal of the legendary musician Elton John in the 2019 movie Rocketman. He received unanimous praise from both audiences and critics, earning himself a Golden Globe for Best Actor in the process. His earlier works include Eggsy in the Kingsman films, Robin in the 2018 Robin Hood, and the soulful British gorilla, Johnny in Sing and Sing 2.
While in conversation with Chelsea Handler on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Egerton shared a bit of news that had his fans falling in love with him more than they already are. Turns out, we’ve all been pronouncing Egerton’s name correctly — no worries there — but we might’ve been getting it wrong had his mother spelled his name correctly on his birth certificate. Allow us to explain.
How do you pronounce Taron Egerton’s name?
Even though his family lives in Wales and he grew up in Wales, Egerton was actually born in Liverpool, a metropolitan city in England. The fact that his name is Welsh just happens to be a coincidence.
In actuality, his name was not supposed to be Taron at all, but instead Taran (pronounced “Tare-an”). As it turns out, Taran is Welsh for “thunder,” but as Egerton explains, his mom isn’t Welsh so she accidentally spelled it incorrectly, which is how he got Taron (pronounced “Tare-on”)
Thankfully, we’ve been pronouncing it correctly this whole time — unlike Lindsay Lohan — but it’s nice to hear Egerton explain the background behind it and why it’s pronounced the way it is.
You can catch “Tare-on” Egerton in Apple TV Plus’ limited series Black Bird on July 8, 2022.