What's with my name?

As it turns out, it's a bit funny introducing oneself as "Christina" in a predominantly Jewish town.  The nature of the Jewish diaspora is that I can pass as Jewish until I tell people my name.

I'm not and have never been a practicing Christian, but it is obviously the tradition I most identify with -- Christmas & Easter being the biggest events on my "religious" calendar. But, having a name that suggests fidelity to Christianity is meaningful when you live in the Holy Land. It means some folks identify me by religion first, which is really a new experience.

I am quite certain this happens to people all the time in Canada, in person and on paper. It doesn't happen to me though, because in Canada my name is not unique. But, names that suggest their carriers (people) are adherents to a certain religion and/or ethnic group that isn't -- I don't know -- quite "Canadian" yet probably have this experience regularly. I overheard some American-Israelis discussing Barack Obama's inauguration speech and someone said, "Isn't it scary his second name is Hussein?  ...Um, no.

But, is a name ever just a name? What is a name if it isn't a categorization, an identity, a memory of someone or something? And, does it ever mean the same thing to the holder of the name as to the hearer of the name?