Travis Etienne clears up correct pronunciation of his last name

Running back Travis Etienne is back in his home state of Louisiana after signing with the Saints this week and he’d like to get back to the original pronunciation of his last name as well.

Etienne said at a Friday press conference that everyone been saying the name incorrectly throughout his NFL career. Etienne said that his last name was pronounced the same way as Dolphins running back De’Von Achane’s last name, but that the more familiar “E-T-N” pronunciation took hold when he was at Clemson.

Etienne said he tried to correct people, but “it kind of took off because it was easier for the announcers to say it.” Moving forward, though, he’d like to go back to what he was used to growing up.

“I’m very much open to being Travis [Achane] again, just being myself,” Etienne said, via Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com. “I don’t have to correct people here on how to say my name each and every day. And I kind of love that. Just getting back to me.”

If Etienne can provide a jolt to the Saints offense, they’ll likely call him anything he wants in New Orleans.