Tom/Voldemort/Dark Lord - what is in a name?

[Tonks]

No: HPFGUIDX 148102

TR/LV/DL

I have been thinking about the many name of the evil one in HP.  
Also wondering if the fact that he has 3 names is significant?  What 
is the symbolic significance of the #3 here?  Is it the 3 aspects of 
evil, as the opposite of the Christian trinity? 

What do we know of the three names and the personhood of each?  
(help me out here, please)

*Tom Riddle*:  
Half Blood. 
Conceived by trickery, not by love. 
Wizard family line of S. Slytherin
Mother abandoned by his father
Mother died in childbirth
Raised in Muggle Orphanage
Scared other children (and perhaps adults) with his magical nature 
appears to have been a `Conduct Disordered' child
Unloved as child (we assume)
Never loved another
Went to Hogwarts – Slytherin 
Attracted to the Dark Arts
Was Head Boy
DD saw him for his true nature
Asked Slughorn about Dark Arts and preventing death, learned about 
Horcuxes
Explored Dark Arts when left Hogwarts

*Lord Voldemort*
Was Tom Riddle – Tom took his name and transformed it into LV
Expert in the Dark Arts
Powerful wizard
Gathered a band of followers
So evil even the mention of his name causes fear
Most wizard refer to him as "He who must not be named"

*Dark Lord*
The name/distinction given him by his followers
His followers apparently only use this title when speaking of him 
(why?)

What IS a Dark Lord?  Is there more than one?  Is the "Dark Lord" a 
part of ancient magic that comes into existence in a new person with 
each generation? Is it the end result of a negative (alchemical) 
transformation? (If we think of a person like DD as the end result 
of a positive alchemical transformation.) (Of course, if we follow 
this line of thinking then instead of Eternal Life the Dark Lord 
would get Eternal Death, so..??)

Someone here said once that I did not understand the concept of 
the "Dark God" in the occult. Maybe that person can add some thought 
to what I am about to say, because it may not be in accord with the 
concept of "Dark God".  But isn't the Dark God and the Dark Lord the 
same?
Isn't the Dark God, death?

Is it possible that Tom has become the thing that he fears? Tom 
seeks Eternal Life and has tried to find it through death (killing 
others), so in a sense he has become death.  He is certainly equated 
with death and feared as much by other wizards.

Any thoughts?

Tonks_op