Douglas Allen Smith Jr., 27, of the Eugene-Springfield area, was granted the name change request last month by a Lane County Circuit Court judge after it was initially refused by another judge in an informal "ex-parte" hearing, The Register Guard newspaper in Eugene reported Tuesday.

Awesome said his name change was inspired by Dr. Devon "Captain Awesome" Woodcomb, a character on NBC series "Chuck."

"I just thought it was really funny that Devon's father always called him Captain Awesome because 'a poor nickname builds good character,' " Awesome said.

He said the judge also allowed him to change his official signature to a right-pointing arrow, a smiley face and a left-pointing arrow, but his bank refused to honor the signature because "it was too easily forgeable."

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