I never understood the point behind this. It's supposedly about "getting the students involved in the culture", but it's not teaching a culture, it's a name. I can call myself "Speedy Gonzalez", it doesn't mean I know anything about Mexico, and it's actually kind of insulting to imply that I do. OTOH, if I actually went to a spanish-speaking community, I could become an expert on their language and culture, and they'd still call me by my given name, since that's MY NAME! We don't just re-name people because they go to a different country.
"I am Christian 'Christopher' Ricardo Weston Chandler!"
"...I'm gonna call you 'Lisa Junior'!"