I would maintain that it is far more important for a teacher to know the student's names, than for the students to know the teacher's name. And to nail that point a little more, if a teacher really wants to impress students with their background and credibilty, just hand out a resume at the end of the class period. Using the class time for maximizing learning of content sends the message that the content is the reason for being there. All that said, having a way to learn a little about each student during every class enhances a culture of caring, and greatly enhances their motivation to achieve what they come to class for in the first place.
