The ‘Paradise’ star brought the emotions out of the host as he stopped by ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ on April 7

A touching story from Sterling K. Brown brought Kelly Clarkson to near-tears on her show.

The actor stopped by The Kelly Clarkson Show on Monday, April 7, and revealed why he used to go by his middle name, Kelby, before switching back to Sterling during his teenage years — and the reason why left Clarkson, 42, visibly emotional.

“So I went by my middle name — I went by Kelby until I was 16 years old. My dad’s name is Sterling Brown Jr., my grandfather is Sterling Brown Sr., I’m Sterling Kelby Brown,” he said.

Brown, 49, said he went by Kelby in part because he “wanted my own name” and also because “it felt like Sterling was an old man’s name.”

His view on the name changed completely, though, after his dad’s death. “But because [my dad passed away when I was 10, by the time I turned 16 and I hadn’t heard his name for five, five-and-a-half years, I was like, I kinda just wanna hear that name again. So I asked people to call me Sterling,” he said.

Kelly Clarkson (left) on her show tearing up and Sterling K. Brown (right).The Kelly Clarkson Show/Youtube; Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal

When the camera panned to Clarkson, it was clear she had tears in her eyes, and she told the Paradise star, “That was so sweet and beautiful,” before looking away from the camera to collect herself.

Brown did the same thing, averting his gaze from the cameras — and from an emotional Clarkson — so as not to tear up too. He then told her, “It’s all good.”

Emotions aside, the experience was one that Clarkson could actually relate to. She told Brown that her 8-year-old son Remington had once also decided to take up his middle name, though he’d made the decision on a red carpet.

“My son did this. At a red carpet. All of a sudden, the lady said, ‘What’s your name?’ — he came to the Grammys with me … He said Remington Alexander,” she recalled.

Sterling K. Brown, Kelly Clarkson on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’. Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal

“He just chose his middle name as his last name. He just changed his name, right there in front of me,” she added.

Clarkson, who shares Remington and daughter River, 10, with ex Brandon Blackstock, said she then asked her son, “‘Is this your stage name? What’s happening?'”