The New Orleans Saints had to officially settle a pronunciation debate surrounding Travis Etienne Jr. after NFL fans noticed broadcasters calling the running back by a name that sounded unfamiliar to many viewers.

The confusion centered on Etienne’s last name during the Week 1 game against the Detroit Lions. Some fans questioned why broadcasters were using a pronunciation different from the one they had heard throughout his college career and first four NFL seasons.

The Saints responded by reposting a clip from Etienne’s introductory press conference from March this year to explain the difference.

“Growing up, it [was] Travis [Achane]. A-C-H-A-N-E,” he said in the clip. “That's how they always said it, Travis [Achane]. But when I went to college, I kept telling them my name, like, every day, every day, every day. After like four weeks, they just couldn't get it. So I'm like, ‘Man, it's [ETN]. How you see it is how you say it.’”

It’s the correct way to say it, Travis clarified on the day he signed pic.twitter.com/0aVxdV4cGW https://t.co/LM57a5G3aq

— New Orleans Saints (@Saints) September 20, 2026

Etienne explained that the pronunciation used during his time at Clemson and Jacksonville was not the way his family originally said the name. He decided to use the pronunciation he grew up with after signing with New Orleans, giving the Saints a chance to introduce him to a wider audience on his own terms.

The running back joined New Orleans in free agency after spending his first five NFL seasons with the Jacksonville Jaguars. A Louisiana native, Etienne returned to his home state with the Saints and now has an opportunity to continue his career close to where he grew up.