On 31 July 2006, he stated that he prefers to be called Mikel John Obi instead of John Obi Mikel, as he had most commonly been called.
ໃນ 31 ກອນກະດາຄົມ 2006, ລາວໄດ້ກ່າວວ່າລາວມັກຈະເອີ້ນວ່າ Mikel John Obi ແທນ John Obi Mikel, ຍ້ອນວ່າລາວໄດ້ຖືກເອີ້ນຫຼາຍທີ່ສຸດ.