I think this is a pretty unlikely scenario. However, if a person *were* to have the same name as a different, better known person, it would be unfair to block the less known person. It would be a good idea for that person to say on his or her user page that he or she is not the famous person, though.
Josh Gerdes (en:User:JoshG)
Sean Barrett wrote:
Christopher Mahan stated for the record:
--- Sean Barrett sean@epoptic.org wrote:
I was told most emphatically that because his parents made the mistake of giving him a name that the parents of the Libyan dictator also chose, he would not be allowed to edit Wikipedia under his real name.
Perhaps the policy was short-sighted and needs a revisit?
"Short-sighted" is a much nicer word that I would use. ;->