about GNU-PG Registration

Hello Ubuntu Community,
I have a question about GNU-PG security for email clients. I have read that this is the best email protection available. I have it among available Ubuntu packages, too, but when I wanted to use it the registration process asked my real name.
considering full or the best possible privacy claim, why real name?
or is it ok just not to give the real name?
I am not advanced in cryptography, could/can this not be avoided?
I'll be glad and thankful for your insights.
best greets!

Maybe I don't see the whole picture, but if you plan to use a tool designed to sign and encrypt your email so that whoever receives an email from you can verify it was sent from you (and not an imposter) why wouldn't you want to use your real name?

Here is a beginner's guide to get you started that you can read:
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=680292

But to answer your question, GnuPG is like a big authentication method, and we use our real names (that show on a gov issued id card) so people can verify that the key is ours, for keysigning, which builds our web of trust.

thank you for your posts!!

I didn't have a clear view of how the real name would play a role, which was the reason of my question for the most part.
I understand now that it is about authentication. I haven't used such a system before, and I don't know if it is safe to just go around with a most obvious identifier like own name.

yes, that's what gnupg is for. but even there.

The name only matters if you send someone a signed or encrypted email message, and you want them to know that the message is really from you. In that case, they would need your public key to authenticate the message.