In original post you state this:
The Display Names project is about the freedom to express yourselves inworld -- including using the tag above your head. As people live out their Second Lives their needs for the name above their head may change -- perhaps they meet someone and fall in love, or they make a new professional affiliation or decide to roleplay. This is why an important principle behind this change is that Display Names not be unique or limited.
This freedom is all very well and I think it is fine to give the option to users who share this wish. I can also see why it is a super cool feature to some (maybe many) users. Still, I fail to understand why I cannot have the freedom not to be spammed with peoples wishes to have additional names above their heads (and in my various lists, objects etc.).
Similarly, today anyone who finds group titles useful can chose to show them and view them. Still I can choose to get rid of all Group Tags people want to show simply by setting preferences (and I do).
I do not in anyway find it useful to see anybodies display names anywhere - I have no use for nick names and any user name is enough and is what I will use. So a tic box in preferences not to view display names should hardly be a problem. I am really annoyed that it is imposed upon me to view all kinds of names I don't need to see. This is hardly freedom. And since I am never going to address anyone by display name anyway why do I have to see it? Give those that like it the option to use it and view it, and those who do not the same and first then is freedom a word you can use.