this post was submitted on 28 Sep 2023
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I share a name with a very famous professional athlete. I don't even think about it usually but as soon as I have to give my name to someone I can pretty much count on some remark about the athlete by the same name.

I've dealt with this in many ways over the years but my most recent method is to pretend to have never heard of that famous person by the same name. That makes the conversation awkward and they usually move on.

Also, if you meet someone who shares a name with a celebrity, keep these things in mind:

  • There is nothing you can say about it that is funny or clever. We have heard it all before. Just don't.
  • If you do have something to say about it that is truly original and absolutely hilarious, see the previous rule.
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[–] ArcaneSlime@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Not exactly what you asked, but I ship for an online retailer and we get some good ones. Had James Brown, Mike Jones (281-330-8004), and Timmy Turner today. We handle it by laughing (in good fun), or in the case of Mike Jones, yelling his phone number throughout the warehouse much to the chagrin of our uninitiated elderly CS team.

To your "rules" (of course there are none lol), rest assured these people are not around to hear us lightheardedly referrence the celebrity or cartoon character they're named after. And my name is a dick joke and we have a guy named "Rape," we've earned the right.

[–] SrTobi@feddit.de 4 points 1 year ago

Ok, how many people have asked you how many people ask you about your name?

OK ok, how many people have asked you about how many people have asked you about how many people ask about your name?

Think I broke both rules...

[–] RufusLoacker@feddit.it 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I have the same surname as one of the most important composers in music history from the 1500-1600. It wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't a musician, and a composer specifically, myself.

Every people I've interacted with in my trade has made some remarks on it, and if someone searches "[name] composer" they obviously won't get to my music!

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[–] CEbbinghaus@lemmy.world 4 points 1 year ago

I share a first name with a pretty popular fictional character. I tend to enjoy the attention when people don't believe me or ask if it's like that one show/book. Fun stuff I gotta say. (thank fuck it's not a real person that could become racist/transphobic/worse)

[–] woobie@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (3 children)

I share my name with a former baseball catcher that is most noted for an incident at home plate where he punched a guy that probably deserved it. I rarely get called on it though, he was not that well known, and he has been retired more than a decade.

The names are both common enough that there have been a few other notables with it as well, like the cinematographer that married a fairly high profile Hollywood actress a few years back.

[–] MadRedX@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

My full name exactly matches a famous pitcher and catch people giving me the nostalgic smile of "wait... it's like the baseball player, right?" or "He's the best". Luckily I was named after him, so I have the excuse of not really knowing much about him

I tried googling myself and I found it difficult to find any of my shit online even with specific keywords. So that's kinda nice.

[–] RagingRobot@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Ok out of all the comments I think yours has the most clues... I could probably figure this one out with some research lol

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[–] KuroiKaze@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

OP is named Michael Jordan

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[–] echodot@feddit.uk 3 points 1 year ago

Not much, people always ask me if I'm named after the celebrity.

I assume I am because there's very few other people with my name except him so I guess so.

Only did was climb down a ladder. Which I have also do not many occasions or I guess I'm living up to the name.

[–] CaptainBlagbird@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)
  • There is nothing you can say about it that is funny or clever. We have heard it all before. Just don't.
  • If you do have something to say about it that is truly original and absolutely hilarious, see the previous rule.

What if I am said celebrity though? πŸ€”

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[–] XTornado@lemmy.ml 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Been there. Idk it doesn't bother me, it bothers more when try sort of apologize mentioning that it probably bothers me.

"Oh sorry everybody must tell you that" Like yeah... and that too πŸ˜….

I don't use it a lot as it's not that famous unless you are into that sport but sometimes when meeting new people I say jokingly (this not the name or the sport but as an example) "Hi, I am Roger Federer but I don't play tennis".

[–] MBM@lemmings.world 3 points 1 year ago

There is nothing you can say about it that is funny or clever. We have heard it all before. Just don’t.

This applies to so many things. For the one person it's a spontaneous one-time joke, for the other it's every time they meet someone new.

[–] AceFuzzLord@lemm.ee 3 points 1 year ago

I'm lucky I don't have a common last name and that nobody cares that I share a very common first name with famous people.

I tried looking up famous people with my last name and the results showed variations of my last name for a while before finally showing mine. Most I've found is some obscure Swedish actress who's probably well known and loved in Europe and someone who apparently got inducted into the motorcycle hall of fame in 2005.

Wow, is that your real name?

[–] sweetviolentblush@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

My partner's name is also the name of a very famous (mostly to boomers) multi-grammy award winner. He works in finance and he's gotten the Michael Bolton experience many, many, multiple times. He says its always super awkward, with really bad jokes or people thinking they're being clever with quips like Are you related or Do you have a new album coming out? hurr durr. But he's also never experienced anyone under 50 noticing his name, so its slowly happening less often

[–] dandroid@dandroid.app 3 points 1 year ago

My brother shares a first and last name with a semi famous person that is mentioned rarely. Maybe once a year I see a post about him. Whenever I see my brother's name on the internet, it always creeps me out.

[–] ettyblatant@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago

I share a name with a cultural icon from the 90's. As time goes by, younger people don't notice. It was annoying having to say "yeah, I know, I was born before she was famous.." all the time. Older people still make the same tired jokes, over, and over, and over...

[–] Thatsalotofpotatoes@lemmy.world 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

I shared a name with a character on 90210. It was pretty annoying for a decade but it's been awhile since anyone has made that comment

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[–] synae@lemmy.sdf.org 2 points 1 year ago

I have the same name as a Hollywood writer/director. But he's not crazy popular/notable except maybe in horror circles, and also our name is common enough that there is no worry about people making weird comments to me. Additionally I enjoy his movies and joke that "I made this" when his name shows in the credits.

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