A common issue for collaborative uses of Second Life is the inabilty to select a real name or show it efrectively alongside an avatar in Secod Life.  This is about to change.  Unique usernames and "display names" will now be separate and can be used in flexible ways.

http://blogs.secondlife.com/community/features/blog/2010/08/17/display-names-bringing-greater-self-expression-to-second-life