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There is an interesting article on w3.org about names and websites assumptions: http://www.w3.org/International/questions/qa-personal-names

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I've tried to promote one of their suggestions -- having just one big name field, plus another for "How do acquaintances address you?" to let the user enter what they want to be called in an email greeting. So far, not one employer has gone for it. Just too radical an idea -- to let the user self-identify.

Don't have just one. I'd suggest two:

* What is your full name, including title? (e.g. Mr John Jules Smith, Señor José Hernández Fernádéz, Kim Ban-Moon)

* How do you wish to be referred to? (e.g. Mr Smith, John, Sñr Hernández, Mr Kim)

* How should we address you? (e.g. Mr Smith or John)

The one I've considered adding is: "How would people would expect to find you in the phone directory?"

Which covers the Icelandic given-name first scenario, as well as the matronymic vs patronymic issue. This puts the person in control of what to sort on, while how to sort it would be controlled by the active user's culture settings.

This has the problem of any user under 20 asking "What's a phone directory?"

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