The situation
A receptionist asks a guest while checking a reservation.
English meaning: May I ask your name?
Read the Japanese original
お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか。The questionWhat information is being requested?
Read the explanation
Clues in the scene
A receptionist asks a guest while checking a reservation.
The stated purpose is checking the booking, and the person being asked is the guest.
Each choice explained
The guest's name — Best fit
The receptionist needs the guest’s name to match the booking. This preserves both the information owner and the task.
The receptionist's own name — Does not fit
The guest is being asked, not the receptionist. The direction of the information request is reversed.
Consent to cancel the reservation — Does not fit
Only a name is requested. No consent to cancel the booking is being sought.
Permission to change the name — Does not fit
The current name is requested; no permission to change it is discussed.
Same words, another scene
Someone uses the same polite question at an informal gathering with no booking list or name tags to check. The purpose is simply to decide how to address one another.
The information request remains, but there is no booking task requiring the reserved name. Polite wording alone does not create an obligation to disclose personal details.
Would it be all right to use a nickname at this gathering?
Literal meaning
A polite request to ask the listener’s name.
What these words cannot tell us
The need for other personal information, whether the name is stored and for how long are not explained.
A question to ask in real life
Will the name on the booking be enough to check it?