[slowpoke]

Your examples only make a legal name important if you consider these things important. I don't, and they aren't. Part of why we need to get rid of the concept of a legal name is exactly for this reason. A government has no business and no authority to decide who I am.

[chc]

You are not your name. The fact that you have an official name does not mean the government is "deciding who you are." And beyond that, in most places, you can choose which name is your official one if you care that much about it. I do not understand what your beef is here.

If you don't think that Facebook should require your official name, I get that. But trying to deny that people generally have one seems odd.

[moheeb]

They don't decide who you are...you tell them.

[jlgreco]

More accurately, you have the option to tell them. In most cases somebody already told them on your behalf.