Rainn Wilson Changes His Name to Protest Climate Change

The Office alum Rainn Wilson has made a bold move in an attempt to raise climate change awareness as he claims to have changed his name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson.

As the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference is underway in Egypt, Wilson is hoping to add his voice to the discussion about the world’s environmental crisis and the effects of the rapidly warming Arctic region.

“With the help of my scientist friends at Arctic Basecamp, I’ve changed my name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson,” the actor said (via The Hollywood Reporter). “This is not a joke. I’m as serious as the melting Arctic, which amplifies global risks, including extreme weather events around the globe.”

Wilson changed his name through the Arctic Basecamp “name-changer” on the website ArcticRiskName.org and encouraged others to do the same. Though, it seemed Wilson went through at least a couple of options, as a Twitter video posted on Tuesday, November 9, saw the Utopia actor refer to himself as Rainnfall Heat Wave Rising Sea Levels Wilson.

Join me @ @ArcticBasecamp in bringing attention to the melting issue. We need world leaders to take action at COP 27!
The Arctic is melting at Millions of Liters per second, yet this problem can’t seem to make a name for itself, so we’ll make a name for it.
Go to link in bio ⬆️ pic.twitter.com/TgEG84fOmQ

— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) November 9, 2022

It’s not clear if Wilson has legally changed his name. His Twitter account remains under the name “Rainn Wilson” currently, though, as he pointed out, the new rules from Twitter CEO Elon Musk mean he could face being banned for changing his Twitter handle.

P.S.
THEY WON’T LET ME CHANGE MY NAME BECAUSE, ELON!https://t.co/K1JfH3y3nc

— RainnWilson (@rainnwilson) November 9, 2022

“I’m hoping this name change brings attention to this growing… er, melting issue,” he continued. “We need world leaders at COP27 to take notice and take action. The Arctic is melting at millions of liters per second, yet this problem can’t seem to make a name for itself, so it’s up to us to make a name for it.”

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“I am so grateful to Arctic Basecamp’s longtime supporter, who has changed his name to Rainnfall Heat Wave Extreme Winter Wilson, to help us warn people about global climate impacts due to the melting Arctic,” said Professor Gail Whiteman, the founder of Arctic Basecamp, of which Wilson serves as a board member.

“The Arctic is melting before our eyes, and since this global problem can’t make a name for itself, let’s all do our part — I will be changing my name today, and I encourage you to do the same!”