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.
I met a very nice older Scotsman named William Wallace the other day. He told me at our hotel bar that he had a court date the next day for allegedly beating an Englishman with his cane, who had apparently insulted his wife. Not quite sure how he handles questions about his name, but he certainly seems to have some things in common with his famous namesake.