Your funeral experience is certainly shared with me, especially when in comes to more distant, older relatives. I have been to several funerals where I learned

Your funeral experience is certainly shared with me, especially when in comes to more distant, older relatives. I have been to several funerals where I learned someone's actual birth name and had never realized I knew them by a nickname or middle name. My paternal grandfather was named Howard, but only went by Red from a fairly early age, a reference to pretty extreme red hair. By the time I was born his hair was neither red nor present, but the name was forever. His youngest son (my uncle) is also named Howard and is also a notable redhead, but I don't think I've ever heard anyone call him anything but Howie. My brother in law is Alexander. Except he uses his middle name that starts with a J. He has 4 brothers, all whom also have a middle name that starts with J that they use day to day. My father and brother in law's names are also homonyms, so in emails making plans it's always clear who is being referenced, but when someone shouts from the other room it's confusion. Names are weird.