When I was a kid, everybody made fun of my last name, even my teacher. I remember her saying to me in the classroom full of students: "Do you know what a gigolo is?" I was too dumb to know and I squeaked "No . . ." I hated my last name so I started calling myself Johnny Johnson. And that's what all my friends started calling me too because they never could pronounce my last name anyway.
Of course, as I got older and started going out into the world either working or getting a drivers licence or even when I joined the navy, I had to use my real name. Over the years I finally found out that my last name had some special meanings in Italian. It meant 'Lily', the flower. It meant 'Purity', like pure of heart. I also found out that their was an Island off the coast of Italy with my last name! How about that! But I still would have liked to be called Johnny Johnson. Why? Because I still have people making fun of my name or mis-pronouncing it, or even completely tongue-tied at saying it!
Oh, I forgot to mention that my sons have carried the Name and my first born was named the third. We get our mail and calls mixed up. Very confusing. I think it's better not to name your son after you cause it does cause a lot of trouble! So, let's start calling me Johnny Johnson and forget about my last name :-)