German names

So it is my opinion that a much higher proportion of German surnames are common words than in English. Perhaps its only because I am quite conscious of German vocab in a way you never are in your native language, but I find it quite amusing.

Here are some examples:
Spiegel - mirror
Stamm - trunk
Heller - lighter
Berg - mountain
Bär - bear
spät - late
Haut - skin
Jahr - year
Reich - rich
Esser - eater
plus all the 'normal' ones like middle-age occupations and colours

But, what I find really cool is that when they are telling someone their last name to make it clear what it is/how to spell it they match it with the opposite. It saves so much time...
So you would say your name as:
Heller wie Dunkler - lighter like darker
Reich wie Arm - rich like poor
White wie Black...

B