Harry Maguire legally changed his name to stop being called nickname his mum didn't like

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Manchester United defender Harry Maguire legally changed his name just to avoid his childhood nickname. The 33-year-old England centre-back actually started life as Jacob - the name printed on his original birth certificate.

The reason for the swap was that his mother detested the nickname Jakey and couldn't bear to hear him called that. Maguire isn’t alone in the England dressing room when it comes to name changes, either.

He joins a list of Three Lions stars like Jordan Pickford, Joe Hart, and Dele Alli who have all altered their first or last names for personal reasons over the years. Ahead of United's visit to Tottenham Hotspur in November, Maguire lifted the lid on the story during an appearance on TNT Sports, revealing how his mum's dislike of the nickname prompted the name change.

"My mum decided to call me Jacob Harry (Maguire) when I was born," he explained. "Then, after three months, people started calling me Jakey. She didn't like it so she swapped it around to Harry Jacob (Maguire) but she couldn't change it by passport until I was 18.

"As soon as I was 18, I changed it around, so it's actually officially Harry Jacob now." The legal name change coincided neatly with the launch of his professional career, as Maguire made his Sheffield United debut just a month after turning 18 in a Championship fixture against Middlesbrough.

Maguire proceeded to excel at the core of the Blades' backline and earned a spot in the PFA Team of the Year for League One in back-to-back campaigns as Hull and Wolverhampton Wanderers competed for his services.

Hull emerged victorious as his outstanding displays persisted, steering Steve Bruce's outfit back to the Premier League at the first attempt before securing a transfer to Leicester City that summer. His career truly took off in the East Midlands as he progressed from strength to strength.

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Establishing himself as a mainstay in the England setup, Maguire became the most expensive British player ever in 2019 when Manchester United paid £80million to acquire him. He has since accumulated over 250 outings at Old Trafford and signed a new deal , prolonging it until June 2027 with the possibility of an additional year.

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