internet pseudonyms, classic or dud

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A friend asked me over the weekend why I use a pseudonym on the internet. I couldn't come up with a satisfying answer, although wanting to be as cool as The Pinefox was part of it.

So if you don't use your real name on the internet - why? are you afraid of stalkers or are you trying to project a persona of coolness that only makes you look stupid?

alternatively, given that loads of other people have flash pseudonyms, why are you still calling yourself with the name your mother gave you? doesn't it worry you that the people at work will google you and find out all the shite you've been spouting on IL*?

― DV, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

To me it's all about what feels right. I don't particularly like putting up my real name due to latent internet paranoia. Plus, this is the name I use, and it's too late to change.

I doubt if my name or internet identity carries any high content of coolness.

― jel --, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

The main reason I don't use one is that I don't want to be as cool as the Pinefox. Since I knew quite a few people on this board before I started posting to it I think I would have been mercilessly ridiculed if I had come up with a daft pseudonymn. And note most of said people equally post under their given name (first name only usually). It is also very useful when meeting up with people to know their real name otherwise you'll be stuck with their internet name all night.

So on a balance - dud.

― Pete, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I use one for my mail address, one that I've used since I started on the internet. When I started that's what people did. My love for the works of dali has probably diminished but I couldn't change it now.

― Ed, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I use my real name on here and throw in the B (which is from my last name) because it sounds so nice with Lindsey, don'tchathink?

― Lindsey B, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I gave up my Internet pseudonym when I switched fom Usenet to this message board. (I still use the pseudonym when I go back to Usenet, though.)

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Same reasons as Pete - everyone would know it was me and I'd look a fool amongst my real life friends. Which isn't to say I've not been tempted to go for something more glamourous than 'Tom' but I'm stuck with it now.

― Tom, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I (still) use mine because otherwise NO-ONE would know it was me. In other words, friends I have made through the internet now recognise me by this moniker. Although I actually acquired it in the 'real' world and certain people who have never interacted with me online do still use it to my face.

― Archel, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is your real name Archel?

― DV, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It is an ANAGRAM of Archel...

― Archel, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

YOU ARE HELCRA

― Ron, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I use this out of habit; a few other boards I'm on aren't 'real name' friendly so I use Nathan as despite hating everything he stands for, I do like TvGoHome, and so if anybody recognises it, I'm more likely to be on their wavelength. Then again, I could just be a middle class media whorebag who genuinely deserves to die, and am very deluded about this state.

Though recently I've been toying with the name Chiggy von Richthofen and I genuinely don't know why. Space:Above & Beyond wasn't that good...

― Nathan Barley, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I am trying to project a persona of coolness that only makes me look stupid, yes.

― Tracer Hand, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's not for me. Obv, there are permutations and ephesis' of the name Alix (though never apocopations, heavens no, I am not in UB40) but that is it. I have probably used them before, but not now, it proves embarassing. I am certain that if I continue to use words like 'apocopation' I will remember them and be able to use them in essays.

― alix, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I entered the Net an innocent with my own name lo these many years back. I shall remain with my name unto the end, though no longer quite so innocent.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I now remember what it means if that's any help Lixi.

― Graham, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Internet pseudonyms are just dumb. That's what I'm switching from that silly "Nitsuh" appellation to this, my real name.

― nabisco, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Please, god, could I just make like ONE stupid joek without a typo ruining it?

― nabisco, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I just wanted you all to know that I'm going to name my first child Nabisco in honor of this thread.

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Jesus Christ.

― nabisco, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nabisco Perry! Comes in all flavas.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Used Tanith Forier for a short time, a decade ago (on BBSs). Got onto the Internet, used a few forgotten psuedos occasionally, mostly lurked. Then, I started writing porn. Borrowed a name to use (Tracy Valencia) as a nom du porn, and posted a story to alt.sex.stories.moderated. Looked back to see that I'd accidently posted it under my real name. Said "Oh, screw it. Elf Sternberg uses his real name, and he's got a better job than I'll ever have." Kept using my real name for everything.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

KEEBLER MACDONALD

― Brian MacDonald, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

My real name is Sexi Mandi.

― bnw, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

fisting.

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

What a coincidence, my name is Sexi Mandi, too.

― Mandi, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

what's fisting got to do with it mitch?

― jel --, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Should Mitch's post be filling me with unnamed fear? ("No Dan, it should be filling you with fist! HAH HAH HAH HAH etc.")

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

("What's fisting got to do, got to do with it? What's fisting but a 'second hand' devotion?")

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

y'see Jel, when the Real Mitch gets off his lazy ass and seeks employment, bank loans, outside contact, we can't have the 12 foot google research lizards punching Lastnames into computers and getting out things about fisting and anal beads and oh no! FITE! OH NO! and Hanle y and Bangbus© and fisting, especially not fisting.

That's the one explanation...

― Mitch Lastnamewithheld, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

(Next time I am looking for a job [or if my mother ever starts using google] I am going to have to send a massive list to Tom and DG of everything I want deleted. Particularly fisting things, due to that bitch Ethan.)

― nabisco, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I was unnaware that potential employers would do a google search like that!

― jel --, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

They're just curious as to what you'll really be using the computer for.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

why are you still calling yourself with the name your mother gave you? doesn't it worry you that the people at work will google you and find out all the shite you've been spouting on IL*?

A) If they are so busy trailing ME, then they aren't doing much either, are they;>?

B) It takes more bravery to use your own name, so on I go!

― Nichole Graham, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I don't think I'd want to work for a company that had nothing better to do than to google employees' names for fisting references (unless, of course, that was my job).

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But Charles, where is the 's'?

― Ally C, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I use my "nearly" real name (I replace the "F" w/ "PH" in phreaker stylee, like) and do not use the actual one, because my mum and dad are going online @ some point thiz year, and would be upset to read my horrible barrack-room language if they googled. I am 37. And really, really sad

― Norman Phay, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I would actually love it if my parents stumbled onto this site by googling me. (Unless they stumbled across the "shave/trim yer pubes" thread. That might be disturbing.)

― Dan Perry, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i don't really care if people know my real name or not. i just like having different stage names.

― di, Wednesday, 1 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I'm not afraid of stalkers, but my mother is. Even though I do give out my name on the Internet (I promised not to, how awful I am) I at least don't publicly declare it. It's an incredibly common name and I can't see how it would matter, though.

― Maria, Wednesday, 1 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Pretty much the same reasons as Di. I don't like the idea that people assume I use a fake name because Im ashamed of what I say, but I always wanted to be called by another name and this is my chance.

― isadora, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

If i didn't have a pseudonym, I'd never be able to search for myself on the internet (having an EXTREMELY FAMOUS namesake as i do).

― electric sound of jim, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Yeah, that lead singer guy in the Manics, he's EVERYWHERE. *flees Jim's wrath*

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

YOU FUCKIN' DIE!!

― electric sound of jim, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

*from a distance* "You said what?"

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

YOU FUCKIN DIE

― RickyT, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

in ten years time all the ppl who posted to "oh no!! fite!! ON NO!!" will have betteah jobs than the ppl who didn't: this i know for certain sure

haha we googled the very extremely horrible previous head of human resources at work and discovered they were treasurer of some wacky on-line org for the abolition of maternity workplace rights, and a. v.militant about it and b. v.indiscreet about themeselves (eg we knew straight away it was them and not someone with the same name) (also we knew — which the othah members of the org did not — that their LIFE-PARTNER, ostensibly also an active member, was made up ie just them w.another posting name!!) .. sadly they left before major leaking of said info became operative (except by word of mouth obv)

― mark s, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Norman! I thought having 'fay' in your email address would sort of sink your strategy. But a couple of your posts as 'Norman Fay' are the top google results for 'Norman Fay' anyway so ALL IS LOST.

― Josh, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

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