What's in a name?

When I was writing my second position paper, I asked my neighor--a devout Catholic--to read over it for me. Since it was heavily laden with information about Jesus, I wanted to make sure that I wouldn't offend anyone or that I didn't get anything wrong. After reading it politely, she pointed out that I said "Jesus of Nazareth" in one of my sentences.

"What's wrong with that?"
"Well, no Christian would call him that."

I had never heard this before, but she told me that the only people who use this title are non-Christians. In fact, she seemed almost shocked by it and wanted me to change it.

"But I'm not Christian."

I did not change the name because, had I altered it for her, I would have inadvertently identified myself with that religion. If there is nothing overtly offensive in the title, then why do I have to change it to something that seems more like it was written by a Christian?

How often are names associated with the relation to the thing that we are naming? Jews, for instance, do not say the name of G-d, but members of other faiths have no problem pronouncing similar words. We call people by nicknames all the time. We come up with derogatory catchphrases and epithets for teachers we don't like.

By naming something, we assert some control over it that is not natural. We place our own opinion on them by altering the way that they appear to the world--through their names.

Are we becoming social deities by exhibiting this kind of power over others?