Why Do So Many People Have the Last Name Di Angelo?

Recently, I came across a peculiar observation. Why do so many people I meet online have the last name Di Angelo, even though I have never met someone with that exact name personally? This article aims to delve into the reasons behind the prominence of this surname and explore its cultural origins.

The CEO Connection

Adam D'Angelo

One possible explanation is the connection to Adam D'Angelo, the CEO of Quora. As the CEO’s name is no longer restricted, people might be given this name as a homage. Additionally, with spammers using the CEO’s profile picture for their own profiles, it might create the illusion that "Di Angelo" is more common.

Personal Experience and Perception

Having personally met only a minuscule fraction of your contemporaneous human beings, it's not surprising to feel that a certain surname might be rarer than it actually is. This is a common cognitive bias where we often perceive things to be more common due to overrepresentation in our immediate environment.

Understanding Italian Surnames

My surname is DAngelo, a name shared with Adam D'Angelo, the CEO of Quora. Angelo is a traditional Italian surname spread specifically in certain areas of Italy, particularly the center and South. However, this does not mean that di Angelo is common among Italians. Other common Italian surnames include De Angelis and De Arcangelis.

Some surnames in Italy, such as Rossi, are more widespread and common across the nation. In fact, a famous Italian football player, Paolo Rossi, bears the surname Rossi. This demonstrates that surnames can vary significantly in popularity and distribution within a country.

Note on Spelling: When referring to di Angelo, the apostrophe ' between the D and A is not used because it is part of Italian orthography, not English grammar. Therefore, the correct spelling in English is Di Angelo.

Personal Anecdotes and Conclusion

It is worth noting that I do not know someone named Leo Zch Di Angelo. This speculation might be humorously suggesting that the Matrix reset everyone's last names or playfully wondering about the chances of a random surname appearing frequently.

Ultimately, the prevalence of the last name Di Angelo can be attributed to random chance. You might have recently met more people with that last name, making it seem more common than it actually is.

Hoping I've helped clear up any confusion.

Sincerely,

Chrysaor Jordan Di Angelo