Our names are the first things our parents give to us. They are truly ours and can't be taken away. They don't get old, sick, out of shape or die. They separate us from other people. We use them when we introduce ourselves to other people. They are how we make ourselves known.

Is your introduction making you as well known as it should?  

Always introduce yourself using both your first and last names. Yes, it is often easier to offer one name, especially when the other person has done so first, and yes, offering just the first name does give the person less to remember, but that can also be a problem. Have you ever attempted to look someone up on  the internet by just their first name?   

Think back to the last conversation you had with a school aged child; how did he respond to your inquiry of "How do you like school this year?" In all likelihood, the answer was "Fine". What a conversation killer!   

Be prepared to say something about yourself.  

The point of an introduction is to start a conversation; are you including information that will allow the other person to follow-up with a question or express interest in something you said? Give the person a talking point to grab hold and spring off of ... you never know where the conversation may lead!