But when management at a New York luxury hotel asked an employee to go by another name, the long-time waiter objected and filed a discrimination lawsuit.
What's in a name? Well, potentially millions, if it's /*Mohammed*/ and your work won't let you use your Arabic name because they think it'll scare people.
He was Edgar when we interviewed him on Sunday.
/*Mohammed Kotbi*/ has been a waiter at the famed Waldorf Astoria for 27 years.
He says it is a career he loves.
But after 9/11 his name has been a source of conflict and problems at the hotel.
He claims his boss makes him wear different name tags.
The first time was two days after the /*World Trade Center*/ bombing, he says he was told to be John at a memorial service.
"It said John. He said, 'it's a memorial. we don't want to scare people'. I was in shock," Kotbi said.
But time hasn't healed the name issue.
Almost ten years later, Mohammed says they still give him grief especially when hosting a Jewish event.
"One of my supervisors. I'm trying to see my assignment said, 'Get out of here, don't need a terrorist. this is a kosher event'," Kotbi alleges.
His attorney Johnathan Bell said, "This is a raw case of discrimination."
Most recently, Mohammed says they let him use his last name Kotbi but everyone else goes by their first name.
He is now suing the /*Waldorf Astoria*/ so that he can be like every other Tom, Dick and Harry and have the right to be called Mohammed.
A spokesperson for the hotel said, "We cannot comment on matters of pending litigation."