I am a real person. I have a birth certificate. My problem is that people, when they learn my name[1], don't believe I'm a real person, or they believe I'm a pe

I am a real person. I have a birth certificate. My problem is that people, when they learn my name[1], don't believe I'm a real person, or they believe I'm a person hiding behind a pseudonym. I blame my parents. Examples? A dozen years ago Facebook went on a purging mission to get rid of fake accounts. I had to prove to the people behind the algorithm that I was real, and had an online presence dating back to the turn of the century. The same thing happened with Google+ (remember that?): to overcome their objections I had to supply links to real-life documents that cited my name. It was annoying at the time, but I can smile about it now. Same thing happens in real life. I've had people ask me if I changed my name by deed poll (answer: no). Some people have told me that when they heard my name they thought I must be some sort of wannabe rockstar (answer: no, but I do write poems). Sadly, a few people have confessed that they thought I was Black before they met me - I cannot even begin to understand the thought processes they used to reach that conclusion! I don't believe my name has been a barrier to my advancement in life. It does offer me some anonymity (evidence: I'm not famous) while at the same time making it very easy for people to find me via Google. [1] - Rik Roots[2] [2] - Okay, it's Richard Roots[3], but I shortened it when I was at school because people kept shortening it for me to 'Rick' and then asking me if I spelt my name with a silent 'P' [3] - Turns out that the Roots surname has a pedigree dating back to the Norman conquest of England[4]. The origins of the name come from the Old English word 'rot', which meant 'glad' or 'pleased' [4] - See https://www.houseofnames.com/roots-family-crest https://www.houseofnames.com/roots-family-crest - and yes, I was born in Kent. PS for Australians: please don't tell me the Wombat Joke. I've heard it many times.