I'd save the first name for a final exam question or a major research paper. Some fans apparently believe some sources that others hold to have little or no credibility in regard to the name. I'd allow students to propose a name and defend the choice. For example, we know that Columbo talked about his Italian ancestry, but many immigrant families wanted to assimilate by adopting more "American" names. Is there any evidence his family may have done that? Maybe an Italian name with an more "American-sounding" nickname?
Well, in fact the real Italian name is Colombo, not Columbo. To me, it doesn't seem enough to americanize the name, but maybe just one letter makes it sound less foreign .
I know that one of my uncles was named Onofrio.......How freakin guinea is that????? but we always called him Uncle Al...or Uncle Ally....I have no idea why.....we are a strange family!!
I also had another uncle named Nebo....what is up with that???