I think it might have been sarcasm. At least, I hope so.

I had a friend in high school who was born in Cuba. His "full name" included the family names of his maternal and paternal grandparents, great-grandparents, etc. going back several generations. He had the whole thing memorized and could rattle it off in about 15 seconds. I would love to see the face of the screener who asked for his "full" name.

When somebody asks for my full name, I generally quote John Candy (in a proud voice):

"Barfolemew!"

Today at SFO...
TSA: Name?
Me: Smith
...TSA looks at passport for about half a minute...
TSA: How's your name pronounced?
Me: Smith
TSA: That's not what it says on the passport, are you sure that's how it's pronounced?
Me: Yes, I am
TSA: I am going to have to get a supervisor
....summons supervisor and tells him I don't want to say my name...
TSA to supervisor: It says on my sheet that I have to ask for his name
TSA supervisor: If he doesn't want to say his name, he doesn't have to.
... I walked on through...

I got a dose of the name game at SFO when I tried my best pronounciation of the TDC's name. Supervisor was summonsed and given the same spiel about refusing to say my name. Now I thought the TDC was asking me to pronounce their name...because as I stated to the super it'd be idiotic for me to have to pronounce my own name to a complete stranger. They were not understanding. So when asked my name again I gave them the most butchered Spanish version possible, using my middle name as first.

I'm sick of it, next time I'm gonna be a mute for the day.

TSA now has delta agents doing the name game
 

Boarding the red eye home from LAS Tonight and about 5 min before boarding starts two TSA trolls lumber upto the gate. The agent at the gate looks up and jokingly says "you two" to which one of the TSA reply "we are here to protect you" to which they all bust up laughing. As we start to board I notice it's not the TSA doing anything (they are sitting on a window sill) but the delta agent is asking each person for their name as she scans their ticket and compares it with the display.

Wow......

The gate agent / airline I can understand potentially doing the name game - revenue protection, verify flight list (in case the worst does happen), etc. If that's not something you want to deal with, then there is likely another airline that won't be doing it and you can easily avoid it.

TSA on the other hand - serves no real purpose and there is no other option.

That said - the TSA sitting on the window sill - I don't know if I should be happy they weren't doing their (anticipated) job and harassing the passengers -- or irritated as all get out that they weren't doing their job and wasting my tax dollars.... ugghh...

How does asking pax to state their name have anything to do with revenue protection or verifying the flight manifest? Checking ID at the gate, yes. Pronouncing your name, I don't see it. It doesn't accomplish anything productive, just like pronouncing it to the TDC doesn't either. You're not proving anything that's not already written in front of the passenger's eyes.

That said, I agree with you that if DL wants to do it, it's their prerogative, but my guess is that it's some kind of TSA request like the OP says.

I thought the big takeaway from this exchange was:
Screeners: "We're here to protect yout" (trying to keep a straight face)

All: "Mhphm...hehe...haha, muw-hahahaa!"

(Screeners start to roll on floor)

Screeners: "Nah, nah, we're really just collecting a decent paycheck and government benefits to sit on a windowsill. Could you do our 'job' this time?"


It's like I can picture this exchange as a scene out of "Family Guy."

I was typing a email to the concierge (left my noise canceling headphones at the hotel, that made for a unpleasant red-eye) while the boarding had started, so didnt notice he asking the first couple people before she asked me, i had been anticipating the TSA doing the whole ID check so was all ready to get argumentative with them...."why are we being checked, didnt we just have our IDs checked? did you have ANOTHER breach in security?". So when the Delta agent asked i just answered and as SOON as i did i realized what was going on.

I dont see how it could be delta rev protection. The TSA is 'supposed' to be the front line of verifying that IDs and BPs match. But this was just the 'pronounce your name' stuff, they werent even cross checking with anyones IDs....totally pointless

It's more about getting you to comply like little sheep. Same technique used by governments that became authoritarian over the years.

Passenger Smith walks up to TSO ID checker and hands over ID and boarding pass:
TSO: “What’s your last name?
Smith: “Janovski”
TSO: “What?”
Smith: “Janovski”
TSO: “These documents say your last name is Smith”
Smith: “No, they say Janovski”
TSO: “Spell your last name.”
Smith: “S-M-I-T-H’
TSO: “That spells Smith!”
Smith: “It’s my name. I’ll pronounce it anyway I like!’

Pronounce your name happened to me today at Terminal A IAH. I mispronounced my name worse than any telemarketer ever has and I got my squiggles from the TDC. While my last name is easy to mispronounce my first name is Mike which I in no way came close to. I'm not sure if he understood the point about how silly it is asking, didn't care or?

IAH Name Game - denied entry today
 

I tried to go through IAH Terminal B today and was denied access to the checkpoint because I said a name that didn't match my boarding pass and ID. The TDC immediately called the supervisor who asked me to leave. I asked where the policy was, she said, "That's classified."

We called the LEO and he was worthless, "Their checkpoint, their rules, man."

So I went to Terminal A and walked through with the same fake name. The TDC hesitated when I said it, but he let me through.

I'm now in the lounge in Terminal B on my computer looking for proof on FT that it's not required and then I'll go back and ask the supervisor's name.:D

Help would be appreciated if someone has a link to share before I have to go catch my fight.

Well, if anyone was looking for proof that the "name game" is pointless theatre, that's it.

(It also suffices as evidence of TSA employees not quite being as sharp as the potato masher in the knife drawer.)