Benedict Cumberbatch Tries Out New Names

Jan. 20, 2015— -- There's no doubt, people are talking about Benedict Cumberbatch, and part of that has to do with his name.

"Not only is Benedict a very gifted actor, his name might be the greatest name ever given to a human being," Jimmy Kimmel gushed on his show Monday night. "His parents should get an Oscar for naming him that."

Still, Kimmel wondered what if the actor went by a different name. Would he still have the same gravitas and charisma?

He decided to find out on Monday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" by asking the Oscar nominee to introduce himself by a host of different names.

Fortunately, Cumberbatch, who is expecting his first child with fiancee Sophie Hunter, was game.

Sitting in a darkly lit bar, the "Imitation Game" star tried out a variety of names from the classic nursery rhyme, John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt, to TV personality Al Roker and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

"My name is Bane," he said covering his mouth to imitate Batman's nemesis. "But you can call me Batman," he said, covering his eyes.

All kidding aside, Cumberbatch nearly changed his name when he began acting.

"It's actually my real family name," Cumberbatch told The Times newspaper of London in 2007 about his last name. "When I first started I used the same surname, Carlton, that my father Timothy, who is an actor, uses. But I wasn't getting very far and when I changed agents, my new agent suggested I revert. I thought Benedict Cumberbatch sounded a bit bumbly and messy, but they said it's a great name, it will get people talking about you."

Turns out he was right.