Some years ago, I was listening to Whad’ya Know? on NPR, and the host was talking to one of the contestants in their quiz segment. Her last name was Hooker, and they joked about that, and then she said she could never hyphenate her name as her maiden name had been Street.
Part of what would make a last name undesirable is the choice (by some odd parent) of the first name. I went to elementary school with a gal named Robyn Hood. I don’t if she ever changed her name, but had her parents simply chosen “Susan” or something, imagine all the (lifelong) taunting that could have been avoided !
Which reminds me of a “Taxi” episode. Elaine happens to pick up an old high school acquaintance as a fare. And as they’re comparing notes on how each is doing (the old friend appears very well off), Elaine panics and lies about having a great boyfriend… “Bill”…“Board”.
When the friend suggests to Elaine that they should get together so they could meet Bill, Elaine convinces Alex to play the mythical Bill.
At some point someone asks Alex/Bill about the odd name combination. And Alex replies that he got off better than his brothers: “Clip” and “Switch”