Citations - when should you add the initial? It is common practice - at least in mathematics - to refer to people one cites in the paper simply by a surname. Hence, one could see sentences like "This awesome theorem is due to Smith.".

However, occasionally the initial is added, and so the above might turn into "This awesome theorem is due to J. Smith". The obvious reason might be that there is also a A. Smith who could be mixed up with J. Smith, but the phenomenon also occurs for people with unique surnames (within the field). Why? (In particular: When should I add the initial, if ever?)
I've recently come to think that one should always add an initial or two, just to reduce potential confusion. Also, doing so consistently is some push-back against the pop mythology that some people are in the special category that everyone knows who they are, and are referred-to in a different, more heroic style. (The simplistic, so-called "Great Man" theory of history of science and everything-else makes it harder to understand what actually happened and happens...)