We have departed in many ways from the ancient thought that pronouncing a name was a way to wield power. In an age where privacy is a tenuous and uncertain good, the power of a name should begin to strike us in a new way. When we give our name out, we give a certain power over ourselves to others. Most of the time we are ok with this because we expect some kind of service in return. To be identified as somebody in particular by our name makes relationships with others possible, makes us vulnerable and our activity or behavior can be linked back to our concrete self. You only have a past, you only have a history in the eyes of others, because you can be identified. Change your name, change what identifies you, and your history disappears.