Jack Black has revealed that his real name is not Jack Black at all. The Hollywood star, known for his role as Dewey Finn in School of Rock, was actually named Thomas Jacob Black at birth, but his parents decided to call him Jack as a nickname.
Speaking to Howard Stern, Black explained: "Jack was my nickname. My dad and mum called me Jack." The actor emerged in the 2000s with roles in Shallow Hal, The X-Files and The Cable Guy, but many fans assumed his stage name was his legal name.
Why he uses Jack
Black explained that his parents chose to legally name him Thomas while using Jack day-to-day due to a long family history behind the name. He added: "There was history behind it. My dad's dad was Thomas and his dad for and goes back to like the ancient Ireland blacksmiths - there was a Thomas Black."
Despite the family tradition, Black admitted he resented being given the name Thomas when he was younger. However, he eventually found himself continuing the very tradition he had once wanted to escape when it came to naming his own son.
He said: "I felt the pressure and I named my son Thomas. I resented it and then when it pushed came to shove, I couldn't break the chain."
Fan reaction
Fans were quick to react to the revelation, with many amused by the connection between Black's family history and his son's name. One person joked: "Those Blacksmith chains are the hardest to break." Another added: "His ancestors were blacksmiths and now he saves the metal."
Another fan joked: "Even the king's family didn't keep the rule, but the blacksmith keep it." However, not everyone thought continuing the family tradition was a bad thing. One user said: "I think that's kinda cool actually. As long as the kid gets a nickname or some way to make an identity of their own and aren't constantly compared to the previous name holders, that's a cool family history story to tell your friends."
