I have discussed this issue with my wife and forget my thought of a stage name. It's frowned upon in academia apparently.

Yeah, I don't know anybody who has adopted another name to go by, and don't know why anybody would in the first place, unless there are restrictions as solidsquid mentioned, or they just really hate their name.
That's not the case with me, the only issue I have with my last name is that it's really common. Common is good in some situations, but not in this one, IMO.