[hobomatic]

It is OK to use words that remind people of troubling things as long the point of using it is not to do this antagonistically.

Someone could come along and tell me my name means 'short people are possessed by demons' and I would still go on using my name, even if someone said that was mean of me. Why? Because it's a ridiculous accusation, and you are a ridiculous person if you make such an accusation, or entertain it.

Now if I started calling myself '4 foot tall demons' that would obviously be different. It is entirely implausible that the 'baggage' is coincidental.

The point is that the sort of historical baggage you are talking about isn't relevant to the word or it's usage in context.

There is nothing to excuse.