Darth Vader is real.

A 43-year-old New York man legally changed his name to Darth Vader last year, reports The Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester.

I wonder if he has asthma.

It doesn't sound like it. The man formerly known as Eric Welch, who is from a place called Canandaigua, says he chose the name because the "Star Wars" character has an aura of leadership and toughness.

The character also killed his wife, tortured his daughter and tried to kill his son. But I guess the former Welch is trying to look on the bright side.

Vader says -- right, that's his name now -- he didn't have strong family ties and grew up in foster homes. He likes to test his toughness by competing in half-marathons and other endurance events. He's a former Marine who owns a gym. He also says he was diagnosed with leukemia in 2002 and is raising money for a bone marrow transplant.

Darth Vader in "The Empire Strikes Back." (Lucasfilm)

Fox News reports that a spokeswoman for the state's Department of Motor Vehicles confirmed his name is now Darth Vader.

Tony Hicks writes celebrity commentary for the Bay Area News Group. Contact him at Facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks or Twitter.com/tonyhicks67