Dear Prudence,
For decades I’ve used my initials in lieu of the first name(s) I was christened with. My family and old friends use my given name, but professionally I’m known by my initials. Many people—among them prospective employers, salespeople, new acquaintances—give me a hard time about my choice. They first ask, then frequently demand to know my “real” name. I’ve smiled and murmured something about preferring my initials, but they persist and then the conversation gets hijacked by the subject. This happens so frequently and some people get so vehement about it that I wonder if I shouldn’t just acquiesce and give them my full name? Or am I making too much of this?