At 09:48 PM 8/25/2003, you wrote:
How about your real name, a real pseudonym or a fanciful name? If you try and change your name to something offensive, no judge will allow you to do that, but most places allow people to use any name they want without any formalities if the use of that name is not meant to be confusing, misleading or fraudulent. Using a famous name as a pseudonym can be confusing, misleading and/or fraudulent.
How about a bright line rule: no historical or actual public figures i.e. "absolute person of contemporary history"? see: http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personality_rights#Personality_rights_in_Germa...
No one should be allowed to use a name that could be considered offensive, misleading or fraudulent, that includes IMHO calling onself Albert Einstein, Beethoven or Blaise Pascal (amongst others). Alex756
I'm just curious how my user name could be considered confusing, misleading and/or fraudulent. Since I can't figure out what "contemporary history" means (since you've listed people who have been dead for centuries) I'll just have to assume that my name would be forbidden under your proposal.
Aside from the fact that the historical Dante Alighieri died 682 years ago, I'm sure that I could change my name legally to Dante Alighieri if I so desired. As a matter of fact, I don't suppose there's any way that you could prove that my name /isn't/ legally Dante Alighieri.
----- Dante Alighieri dalighieri@digitalgrapefruit.com
"The darkest places in hell are reserved for those who maintain their neutrality in times of great moral crisis." -Dante Alighieri, 1265-1321