Proud to Be a Madoff: Unrelated to Bernie, Weathering Stigma of Last Name

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2010— -- Al Madoff has been living with his name for 82 years, and for most of that time, he said, his family moniker has been a source of pride. But recently, living openly as a Madoff has become much more complicated.

"You can't imagine what I go through with this name," said Madoff, a retired uniform salesman in Delray Beach, Fla. "I try not to mention it too often, really, because I don't want to get these stares or whatever."

Madoff has no relation to the disgraced swindler Bernard Madoff, currently in federal prison in North Carolina for orchestrating one of the largest Ponzi schemes in history. But the high-profile case and negative publicity surrounding it haven't made life any easier for Al and others who share the same last name.

The suicide of Bernard Madoff's son, Mark, who had reportedly struggled with the shame of his family name, has only refocused attention on the stigma of being a Madoff.

Unrelated Madoffs reached by ABC News recounted a lingering mix of impacts on their lives in the two years since the financier first made headlines.

They've endured lingering questions from friends and strangers, awkward moments in checkout lines whenever credit cards are used, and often disbelief from reservation agents who recognize the name when booking a table for dinner.

Some Madoffs say the association has the potential to impact their careers and their children's futures.

"My kids got harassed in the beginning …They were getting some creepsters going after them on Facebook, but it stopped after a few weeks," said Wendy Madoff, a mother of two from Wyckoff, New Jersey, just outside New York City. "But my youngest daughter is now applying to college, and in the back of my mind I'm just hoping that no one holds this against her. We just put on her applications that it's 'no relation.' But you never know."

"What are you gonna do? I'm not going to change my name, because I like my name," she said.

Mark Madoff's wife and children successfully petitioned a New York court to change their last names to Morgan earlier this year.

But few Madoffs reached by ABC News said they seriously considered legal steps to shed their newly recognizable names for others more obscure. All admitted to trying to keep a low profile at times or offering disclaimers to strangers in conversations that they have no relation to the man in the news.

Pronunciation of 'Madoff' Matters, Some Say

Several Madoffs said their geographic distance from New York City has dampened any stigma they've faced.

"My son lives in New York state and it's been worse for people who live there, because they think definitely you're related," said Karen Madoff of Maumee, Ohio, who said she hasn't experienced much inconvenience in her day-to-day life because of the name.

A difference in pronunciation of Madoff has also helped some create distance from Bernard Madoff -- who pronounces his name 'may-doff.'

"If I give someone my card and they say, 'Thank you, Mrs. Madoff.' I say, 'No, it's mad-off not may-doff,'" said Judy Madoff, 61, an operating room nurse in Pittsburgh, Pa. " I do find myself correcting them when they say that.'... I guess we're somewhat grateful the pronunciation in the news has been 'may-doff' so it's slight difference."

Michelle Madoff, 82, of Surprise, Ariz., who also pronounces her name mad-off, agrees.

"My new husband's name is Schesky, but I don't use it because all my careers were in Madoff, and if people went to the phone book and looked for a Madoff they wouldn't find it if I don't list it," she said. "I don't want to lose my identity."

But for all the Madoffs who insist they're proudly keeping their names, they said humor is the key to weathering the storm.

"I was in Publix paying by credit card but the cashier didn't check my signature. And the guy behind me, joked, 'You look honest, but if your name was Madoff we'd have to consider you,'" Al Madoff recounted. "I turned around and said, 'Sir, my name is Madoff.' I thought he was going to have a heart attack and die.'"

"Why should I change? My father had that name, my brother has that name… Let [Bernie Madoff] change his name. I've had it longer than him," he said.