ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Chief of the name

Ok kiddo, imagine your last name is Smith. The chief of the name is a fancy title that is given to the person who is in charge of making sure everyone with the last name Smith is related to each other and keeping track of their family history.

Think of it like being the leader of a giant family tree. This person is responsible for making sure that everyone who claims the last name Smith really is part of the Smith family and isn't just pretending to be.

It's kind of like being the boss of a big club, where everyone with the same last name is a member. The chief of the name makes sure everything runs smoothly and that all the members of the club are connected to each other.

So, next time you see someone with the same last name as you, remember that you might be distantly related, and there's a chief of the name out there making sure it's all on the up and up!
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