By Laura Schocker

A couple with the same name is set to marry this year after meeting on Facebook. It’s an extreme example of people giving in to the curiosity of a "namesake search" on the social networking site. But why do we do it

The two Kelly Hildebrandts met last year after Kelly Katrina sent Kelly Carl a message commenting on their identical names. They then became Facebook friends and later met up. By December they were engaged.

But the Hildebrandts aren’t the only identical monikers out there. Facebook searches of the name John, for instance, combined with some of Britain’s most popular surnames – Smith, Jones, Patel and Singh – all exceed the maximum 500 search results.

And Kelly and Kelly also aren’t the first ones to play the same-name game, with hundreds of groups created to bring together people who share a common name. Countless others seek out their name twins through one-on-one "friending" and messaging.

So why do we feel compelled to type our own names into the Facebook search bar

Pure Quinns

I’ve asked this question myself. Before I joined Facebook in 2004, I had assumed Laura Schocker was a unique name. But it turns out I’m not the only one – a second Laura Schocker in the US became my "friend" a few years ago.

Frequently, more than a couple of people share a name. The "We are Paul Quinn" group has 52 members and is restricted, according to the description, only to "pure" Paul Quinns – no Paulas, Paulines or Paulermos allowed. "It was curiosity more than anything else," says one Paul Quinn, from London, of joining.

"It’s a morbid curiosity really"

Member of David Nelson group

Another Paul Quinn, of Newcastle, agrees. "It’s not like I speak to them, it’s just a funny little thing," he says.

Why, exactly, is it so entertaining One explanation is that people become attached to their names over time and even tend to slightly prefer words, cities, occupations and people who share the same first letters, says Sam Gosling, a professor in the psychology department at the University of Texas.

We also typically tend to associate shared names with family, which can give a sense of connection, even if there isn’t an actual blood bond. "I do feel a certain connection with those other Sam Goslings," he says. "But why should I"

It may come down to a basic case of curiosity, says BJ Fogg, director of the Persuasive Technology Lab at Stanford University in California, where he teaches classes related to social media.

Print searches

"There’s sort of a fascination of, ‘This is my alter ego. This is me living in a parallel universe,’" Mr Fogg says. "What has it been like to have my name and live in a different place and be a different age"

This natural interest is nothing new, he adds. Before the days of online social networks, people often searched print databases, such as phonebooks, looking for shared names.

Some people have taken it even further. In 2000, comedian Dave Gorman set off on a mission to meet others around the world with the same name. His search eventually translated into a stage show and book, both titled Are You Dave Gorman While the original plan was to find 54 Dave Gormans, he ultimately met more than 100.

But now things are a bit simpler. With Facebook and other technology, we have the potential to reach out over geographical or language barriers to find others who share one of the key components of identity – a name, says Mr Fogg.

The "Our Name is David Nelson" has 58 members celebrating the David Nelson identity. "It’s a morbid curiosity really," says one David Nelson, a company broker based in south London. "It’s quite amusing to join groups and see what people are up to."

But don’t expect him to follow in the Kelly Hildebrandts’ footsteps: "I’m fairly certain I wouldn’t want to marry any other David Nelsons," he jokes.

A different David Nelson in the group, a property manager from Chelmsford, Essex, says he was invited to join by yet another David Nelson who had added him as a friend about eight months ago. "It’s the ability of Facebook to let a lot of random people be able to get in touch with each other," he says.

Sometimes all these random people can create a case of mistaken identity. About a year ago, he got a message from a woman looking for her long, lost brother: David Nelson.

And there can be a downside, says Keith Campbell, as associate professor in the psychology department at the University of Georgia. "Because we feel special as people, when we find out someone shares your name and they’re an incredible loser, it takes a little bit away form you," he says.

And the Nelsons may just be able to understand – both report hearing about a David Nelson on the anti-terror do-not-fly list in the United States.

This can work in the reverse, though, as well. "If you find out it’s a famous princess from Moldavia, that might be cool," says Mr Campbell. He shares his own name with the man credited with cloning Dolly, the sheep.

So far, though, they’re not Facebook friends.

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