The reason I asked if it was comical: (Should have put this in my OP, I guess) My husband had a friend whose name was Peter nn Pete. I don't remember exactly how, but I found out that his middle initial was C. So I asked him, "Pete, what's your middle name?" He said, "No, I'm not going to tell you. You're going to laugh."
"Why would I laugh? Tell me. I promise I won't laugh."
"No, you're going to laugh."
"No, I won't! Tell me! I won't laugh!"
"No."
"Come on! You're being ridiculous! I won't laugh! I PROMISE I won't laugh!"
"Oh, okay. Carmine."
And I laughed. And I had really meant not to.
So for him to react that way, he must have encountered laughter often previously, I would think.