How to Introduce Yourself Properly

Have you ever gone to a social function and ran into someone who introduces themselves by ONLY their last name? The exchange would go something like this: "Good afternoon. I'm Tim Stroud." The reply? "Hi, I'm Mr. Schmidt." At that moment, my Spider Sense goes off and I'm wondering why this person didn't extend the same courtesy to give me their full name. And of course, my Sarcastic Sense (MY super power) kicks into gear. Here is what goes on in my head when those things happen.

First of all, my mind replays the scene in Avengers: Infinity War where Peter Parker (Spider Man) and Dr. Steven Strange (Dr. Strange) meet. Even though the good doctor is clearly in the right, it's comical and why it was put in the movie.

Secondly, I'm immediately suspicious of someone who doesn't respond in kind when making introductions to adults in a public setting. If I was 10 years old and meeting adults, I would accept the exchange as proper. But in the words of Kevin Hart, "I'm a grown little man."

If the man I met was a doctor, I would have given him the respect of that title. However, he lacked the title and was clearly a male. Wouldn't the proper response be: "Nice to meet you Tim. I'm John Schmidt?" Or if he were inclined, he could have FUN with his name and make it memorable. Doesn't everyone remember the song, "John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt?"

Is this socially acceptable in certain cultures? The U.S. Army taught me volumes on respect and courtesies but those are germain to the military world. In the civilian sector, isn't one of the goals of interaction to connect and learn about each other? I've been learning from Toastmasters over the last ten years and I can't recall having an awkward introduction like this one at any of the meetings.

Being a person that loves to network, I have found that some people are simply socially awkward. When faced with a challenge, we all "go with what we know" and sadly that in some cases, it just isn't accepted.

What do YOU think? What titles are acceptable and how do you introduce yourself?