Earlier quoted context omitted.
Murphy is the Anglicized form of an Irish name, Ó Murchú. One of the author’s paternal line ancestors came from Ireland, a land conquered and colonized by the English, i.e. the Anglo-Saxons. It would be one thing to say he had a honky ass white name, a cracker name, that would be in the American says American thing, who cares category. But to identify as Anglo-Saxon, an ethnic category!?! Not terribly surprising give…
I feel you shouldn't punish people for the name they were given by their parents. Changing your name is a big existential act, which I don't think it's reasonable to expect. If you've had it drummed into you from birth that you are III then it's hard to escape. That person's views about what their name represents are their own though and can be challenged.
that's mostly cultural. in some cultures (e.g., asian ones), it's normal to have multiple names for different levels of familiarity, and to adopt new names as circumstances dictate.
with that said, criticizing (someone else's) naming choices is a wholly aesthetic opinion and should be disregarded (perhaps politely).