Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, one of the most celebrated players in Super Eagles history, has lifted the lid on how his iconic nickname came to be — and it turns out the name never belonged to him first.

Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Okocha explained that 'Jay-Jay' was originally his older brother's nickname. Growing up in a neighbourhood where several family members and local boys shared the name Austin, the community needed a way to tell them apart.

A street name that stuck

"I think it started in the neighbourhood where we grew up. All of us were footballers because we had no other toy," Okocha said. "We were just on the street playing and my two brothers played as well. So we had a few Austins then. To identify which Austin is which, they started calling Austin Jay-Jay's brother — and from there, Austin Jay-Jay stuck."

The nickname followed him beyond the streets of his childhood. When Okocha began his career in Europe, he found that his birth name, Augustine, proved difficult for people there to pronounce. The solution was straightforward: embrace the name he already carried.

"Some people were struggling to pronounce my name Augustine and Jay-Jay was a lot easier," he said. "I said I might as well adopt the name — and I put it in my passport and it's officially mine."

Royalties still being paid

With characteristic wit, Okocha added that borrowing his brother's identity has not come without a cost. "I'm still paying royalties for my name to my brothers," he said with a laugh — a playful nod to the sibling whose lucky charm of a name launched a legend.