# Screen names and first impressions



## Bullgrit (Jun 16, 2007)

A friend and I were talking the other day about screen names, and how they might/can influence people's image of the person behind the name. So now I'm interested to know your opinion -- does a person's screen name on the Web build expectation of a particular personality or attitude? Can a screen name influence how you read a post by the poster?

For instance, I'm curious to know what you expect from someone with the screen name "Bullgrit". What does "Bullgrit" lead you to think and expect? I'm not a prolific poster here, but I'm a regular reader (nearly every day), so you probably don't know anything about me other than my screen name. Based on my screen name, do you get a thought on my age, my personality, my appearance? Even if you understand and admit that there is really nothing real you can know about someone from a screen name, does an "image" come to mind for the name "Bullgrit"?

Feel free to use this thread to ask what people think of you based on your own screen name. How much thought did you put into your screen name? Did you pick your screen name intentionally to influence how people would think of you?

Bullgrit


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## Mycanid (Jun 16, 2007)

Well .. I must admit that I did not pick my screen name to deliberately influence how people might regard me.

My screen name is simply one of my favorite DnD monsters AND the name of my favorite superhero (that I rolled up/invented) way back. Simple as that. 

Interesting question though ... had never thought about it.


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## Jeysie (Jun 16, 2007)

Honestly, unless a screenname is either a reference of some sort or obviously descriptive, I don't really think of them other than as simply names. I tend to be more influenced by custom titles and avatars.

As for my own screen name, it's simply a twisted off-shoot of my real name, and doesn't mean anything AFAIK, so I'd be surprised if anyone had any preconceptions from it.

Peace & Luv, Liz


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## jonesy (Jun 16, 2007)

Jeysie said:
			
		

> I tend to be more influenced by custom titles and avatars.



People pick avatars they like, so they are at least remotely representative of them. What that says about me and mine, I have no idea. Maybe it's "I like shiny".  



> As for my own screen name, it's simply a twisted off-shoot of my real name, and doesn't mean anything...



Same here. Though I sometimes get asked if mine has a connection to the calico from Aliens.


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## Crothian (Jun 16, 2007)

I just went with an old character name.  I had been using the characters first name on the net from about 95-99 and then choose to switch to Crothian as Eric's boards were coming alive.  

Unless someone's name is in leet it rarely has any influence on me.


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## DaveMage (Jun 16, 2007)

Screen names usually do not leave any impression - only someone's posts do that.

(The only exception is EN World user "Ogg" - I still think it's the coolest username here.    )

All hail Ogg!


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## Relique du Madde (Jun 16, 2007)

My screen name is based of one of my favorite DnD characters, Relic (Stamford) the Mad.   

Relic was a CN mage who tended to rely on trickery. In one game I managed to con a store owner out of several magic items by playing a game of russian rulette using a bag of devowering and a bag of holding.  The dm, of course, resolved this game using a coin toss (and I added spice to the game by creating an illusion of my character's head getting devowered)...


In my view, names on the internet are just names.  For that reason, they don't impresss me.


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## LightPhoenix (Jun 16, 2007)

DaveMage said:
			
		

> Screen names usually do not leave any impression - only someone's posts do that.
> 
> (The only exception is EN World user "Ogg" - I still think it's the coolest username here.    )
> 
> All hail Ogg!




I have to throw in on the Wandering Monster team.  Especially his ever-changing sigs, just added to the flavor.

Ditto on the names not really making an impression, but the posts.  It's not what you are, it's what you do, and all that.


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## crazy_monkey1956 (Jun 16, 2007)

My screen name is a hybrid, actually.  My wife and I wanted to create an account here on enworld, jointly, so we pulled "crazy" from my yahoo and WotC community screen name crazy_monkey1956 and "pixie" from her yahoo screen name.  Later, when I started my PbP, my wife wanted to play, so created her own account, using Shadowmask as a screen name, so Crazypixie became exclusively mine.

I actually find myself more influenced by avatars than screen name.  If someone has an obnoxious looking avatar I'm less likely to take them seriously.


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## megamania (Jun 16, 2007)

Should the user name depict one's personbality or at least an aspect of it?  No.   But we do still assume.

megamania depicts me well but it was based on a comicbook character I created my senior year that was "based" on me.  

Many names used here are based on characters played by the user or read about so they have special meaning.   Sometimes this special meaning is known to them alone.


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## Jesus_marley (Jun 17, 2007)

when I first saw Mycanid's screen name I thought he was a fun guy.

everyone else I figured was a fatbeard (even the girls)


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## Mycanid (Jun 17, 2007)

Jesus_marley said:
			
		

> when I first saw Mycanid's screen name I thought he was a fun guy....




*sigh*  :\

Well, I bring on myself.


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## Dog Moon (Jun 17, 2007)

Really, the only time screen names make an impression on me is if they sound really cool and I'm like 'I really like that name'.  It MAY make me a little more willing to read what they have to say, but it really doesn't affect me much.

What DOES make an impression is if they have some stupid name like 'IRStupid' or 'negibdfgjnsoifh'.  Stupid names make me not desire to see what they have to say at all.


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## Nyaricus (Jun 17, 2007)

Mycanid said:
			
		

> Well .. I must admit that I did not pick my screen name to deliberately influence how people might regard me.



Oh, just admit it: you're a stoner


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## Mycanid (Jun 17, 2007)

Actually ... to be completely honest Nyaricus ... I have never used drugs, or even smoked cigarettes, in my entire life.  :\


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## Nyaricus (Jun 17, 2007)

But really, some names immediately evoke a sense of something. I remember when Sound of Azure first started posting here and I thought to myself "what a peaceful sounding name." Or back before the crash there was another poster named 5-foot Step and I thought to myself "heh, that guy has to be funny."

On a psychological level, I think that screen names (and display icons) tend to influence us quite a bit - when we first meet people in real life, their faces are the first thing we look at, and we humans tend to judge books by their covers, whether we like it or not. So yes, I think screen names do influence us.

Bullgrit, your name makes me think of a more rough-and-tumble sorta guy; an almost Indiana Jones style guy. No offence, I hope 

cheers,
--N


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## Nyaricus (Jun 17, 2007)

Mycanid said:
			
		

> Actually ... to be completely honest Nyaricus ... I have never used drugs, or even smoked cigarettes, in my entire life.  :\



Good on you mate 

that  smiley was for MY last response, not yours, by the by.

cheers,
--N


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## Thornir Alekeg (Jun 17, 2007)

I didn't think screen name usually influenced much, but I have found recently that the screen name of a poster I've not read before along with early posts do somtimes combine to create an impression.  Recently I noticed some posting by a couple of people with screen names that were in the style of texting speak.  That, combined with posts that had poor typing and an almost frenzied way of writing gave me the impression of someone much younger than the majority of EN World members.  The name itself didn't create the impression, but it reinforced it combined with the posts.

My screen name is of course a D&D character of mine.  Back in the old days of 2400 baud modems where IRC was one of the major communication tools, Thornir was my IRC name because I never found it was being used by someone else and my friends could easily recognize when I entered a crowded channel.


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## stevelabny (Jun 17, 2007)

Screen names can help with gender. Reading the names in this thread, I'd assume everyone is a guy except Jeysie and Pixie. (of course, pixie is a guy and a married one at that...but as he explained, the name comes from his wife.)

Screen names from pop culture can give a clue as to the age.  I would assume Mycanid has been playing for a pretty long time. Some of these work better than others depending on the overall popularity. 

I'll also jump to a conclusion of who is funny or clever, who is trying to hard to be "kewl" who is scared to let anyone know anything about them on the internet, and who is just lazy.

By name and this one post alone, I assume Bullgrit is a 30-something guy from middle-america (I would guess texas, but as a NYer, anything west of Philly and east of LA is midde-america) with some sort of outdoorsy manly hobby besides d&d. Of course, MOST people on EN World are 30-something male americans, so this isn't going out on a limb at all. 

Oddly enough the image that pops into my head is of a guy chewing tobacco. 

Most people assume that my name is Steve Labny or that my name is steve and i work in a lab in new york. When people think you are using your real name, they are less likely to think youre trolling or lying. They would also assume I'm lazy and not trying to be kewl. I have a very generic name, and athough its the fault of one of my idiot friends, I kept it because its simple.


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## papastebu (Jun 17, 2007)

papastebu comes from a conversation I had with a friend about my impending fatherhood, eight years ago. My name is, in fact, Steve, and I'm not worried about who knows who I am, because I don't have anything that anyone can take away, except maybe financial standing, and I don't use credit.
As to how I react to usernames and the like, I generally gloss over all of it, unless I'm trying to have a conversation with someone specific, which seldom happens, for some reason. If I do catch myself reading the names/scanning the avatars, it's because I am amused by one, and I just keep going from there. I don't really see them as indicative of the person, unless something they've posted kind of resonates with the name or picture in my mind. At times like that, I feel that I have actually come to know that person a bit, if only infinitessimally.


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## TarionzCousin (Jun 17, 2007)

stevelabny said:
			
		

> Screen names can help with gender. Reading the names in this thread, I'd assume everyone is a guy except Jeysie and Pixie. (of course, pixie is a guy and a married one at that...but as he explained, the name comes from his wife.)



That's most of what I get from screen names, too: gender.

My first impression of "Bullgrit" was that it was a substitute for "Bullsh*t" and that the name indicated someone who was mocking himself at being a joker/kidder/obvious liar. 

However, now I agree with stevelabny that you simply must chew tobacco.


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## Whizbang Dustyboots (Jun 17, 2007)

I thought Bullgrit was a Discworld reference.

<---- EQ1 character name


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## Kurashu (Jun 17, 2007)

To me names are just names. Girls do tend to choose girl names. And guys tend to choose guy names. But some times (read: most times) you get ambigous ones. Like, for instance, a board I post at (TDottle, I doubt any of you know of it), pretty much everyone has A) an ambigious screen name and B) changed it at least twice this week.

I am curious to know what you make of mine though.


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## Nyaricus (Jun 17, 2007)

Kurashu said:
			
		

> To me names are just names. Girls do tend to choose girl names. And guys tend to choose guy names. But some times (read: most times) you get ambigous ones. Like, for instance, a board I post at (TDottle, I doubt any of you know of it), pretty much everyone has A) an ambigious screen name and B) changed it at least twice this week.
> 
> I am curious to know what you make of mine though.



I figured you are either Asian or some sorta 30-something white middle American obsessed with Asain culture.

Something like that. I like the name though


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## TarionzCousin (Jun 18, 2007)

Nyaricus said:
			
		

> kurashu said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Or it sounds like a line from an old Schwarzenegger movie.

Arnold: "If you dohn't obey me now, I will kurashu later!"

P.S. "Get to the choppah!"


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## BOZ (Jun 18, 2007)

i'd be lying if i said a screen name or avatar never colored my perception about a person.  after all, the way you present yourself does color others' perceptions about you.  of course, those are not the only ways i judge a person, but they can definitely make at least a small difference in the positive or negative.


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## Sound of Azure (Jun 18, 2007)

Nyaricus said:
			
		

> But really, some names immediately evoke a sense of something. I remember when Sound of Azure first started posting here and I thought to myself "what a peaceful sounding name."
> cheers,
> --N




Awww...

I am a pretty peaceful person, I have to admit. I'm trying to be a good little buddhist.   

From your name, I figured you had an interest in Roman culture (or something). When I found out your username was a scrambled version of your real name... I thought it was pretty clever.



			
				kurashu said:
			
		

> To me names are just names. Girls do tend to choose girl names. And guys tend to choose guy names. But some times (read: most times) you get ambigous ones. Like, for instance, a board I post at (TDottle, I doubt any of you know of it), pretty much everyone has A) an ambigious screen name and B) changed it at least twice this week.
> 
> I am curious to know what you make of mine though.




I was thinking it was Engrish for "Crash"... or what Nyaricus said.


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## Nyaricus (Jun 18, 2007)

Sound of Azure said:
			
		

> Awww...
> 
> I am a pretty peaceful person, I have to admit. I'm trying to be a good little buddhist.
> 
> From your name, I figured you had an interest in Roman culture (or something). When I found out your username was a scrambled version of your real name... I thought it was pretty clever.



Are you actually buddhist? I was kinda wondering - your username has that sort of flair to it.

Funny story about my name, which I always forget. I knew a guy from my neighbourhood since he and I were in kindergarten and up to high school; he was chinese. His name was Tychicus, pronounced "tich-i-cus" or somesuch. Not really roman at all.

I was sorta friends with him back in the day, but by the time I was in highschool, I didn't even know the guy. Around that time, I was really getting into creating my homebrew D&D campaign setting, and I started to scramble up peoples names and other random words to get names and such - and I scrambled my own for a diety. Ironically enough, it's ending is the same as I guy I'd known for over 10 years. Go figure. 

cheers,
--N


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## Olaf the Stout (Jun 18, 2007)

In the vast majority of cases, I don't think that screen names or avatars have much effect on me here on EN World.  Some of the usernames and/or avatars on Circvs Maximvs, on the other hand, have a bit more of an effect since some tend to be much more "out there" due to the looser level of moderation (Eric's Grandma, or most Grandma's for that matter, would have approved of a lot of them).

It is only when I see names like "Drizzt Pwns!!!" or "1337Ninja" or something like that where I form more of an opinion of someone based on their name.  Even still, posting in ALL CAPS, withoutabreakbetweenwords or as though u r ritn a msg 2 sum1 has a greater effect on me than someone's name.

As for my username, like many others here, it is the name of one of my characters (actually, the first D&D character I ever created myself, hence the very unoriginal name!   ).

Olaf the Stout


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## Mycanid (Jun 18, 2007)

stevelabny said:
			
		

> ...Screen names from pop culture can give a clue as to the age.  I would assume Mycanid has been playing for a pretty long time...




10 points for Mr. Holmes!


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## Sound of Azure (Jun 18, 2007)

Nyaricus said:
			
		

> Are you actually buddhist? I was kinda wondering - your username has that sort of flair to it.




Not quite. I don't really have any religion that I'm completely comfortable in describing myself as. It is the closest approximation I can make to a mainstream religion. I am drifting more and more into buddhist thought as my studies (I'm undertaking some classes at university in theology and theological anthropology at the moment) continue. I'm glad my parents raised me in a largely religiously unbiased household, it's allowed me to keep my mind open about things like that. 

My user name was the name of a Daoist psychic warrior I played a couple of years ago. He was kinda like Li Mu Bai of _Crouching Tiger_ fame. He was very fond of the _Synaesthete _ power. 

That name was in turn inspired by the character *Sound of White*, from the japanese film Onmyoji.
[/tangent]



> Funny story about my name, which I always forget. I knew a guy from my neighbourhood since he and I were in kindergarten and up to high school; he was chinese. His name was Tychicus, pronounced "tich-i-cus" or somesuch. Not really roman at all.
> 
> I was sorta friends with him back in the day, but by the time I was in highschool, I didn't even know the guy. Around that time, I was really getting into creating my homebrew D&D campaign setting, and I started to scramble up peoples names and other random words to get names and such - and I scrambled my own for a diety. Ironically enough, it's ending is the same as I guy I'd known for over 10 years. Go figure.
> 
> ...




Wow, that's unexpected. A number of east asian people I've met take interesting and old fashioned "english" names. 



			
				 Olaf the Stout said:
			
		

> It is only when I see names like "Drizzt Pwns!!!" or "1337Ninja" or something like that where I form more of an opinion of someone based on their name. Even still, posting in ALL CAPS, withoutabreakbetweenwords or as though u r ritn a msg 2 sum1 has a greater effect on me than someone's name.




Names of that kind give me headaches at times. Then again, I have a tendency of writing in full sentences in my text messages. Maybe it's a personality thing?


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## Whizbang Dustyboots (Jun 18, 2007)

Olaf the Stout said:
			
		

> As for my username, like many others here, it is the name of one of my characters (actually, the first D&D character I ever created myself, hence the very unoriginal name!   ).



Pfft, it's a better character name than most. Much more plausible and, frankly, more memorable than something with a baker's dozen of apostrophes and vowels slammed up against one another like sardines.


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## Arkhandus (Jun 18, 2007)

Well, I only think something of it if the screen name is something crude/horribly tasteless.  In which case of course I assume that person's an immature loser. -_-

Thankfully most EN Worlders don't have such screen names so there are few I jump to that (probably accurate, in the case of those who do use such pseudonyms) conclusion toward.



I dunno what my own screen name would infer.  I always go by Arkhandus (originated as a renaming of...) or Mist Phantom (character/name I threw together for the Beyond Dominia Roleplaying Mill and Beyond Dominia Rumor Mill (forums), based on the kinda unusual and random names used by other posters there, some of whom just used the names of novel characters or Magic: The Gathering cards/characters).


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## BOZ (Jun 18, 2007)

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
			
		

> Pfft, it's a better character name than most. Much more plausible and, frankly, more memorable than something with a baker's dozen of apostrophes and vowels slammed up against one another like sardines.




i am Fraz-urb'luu!!!!  phear me!!!


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## awayfarer (Jun 18, 2007)

Whizbang Dustyboots said:
			
		

> I thought Bullgrit was a Discworld reference.
> 
> <---- EQ1 character name




Ditto on the Discworld reference....millenium hand and shrimp!

Occasionally there is something in a name that gives you a clue about that person or thing. They say a rose by any other name would still smell as sweet, but what if they were called Crapweeds? Now, I grant you that a rose, upon being found by someone who has never seen or smelled one before, will not likely be dubbed as such. But there COULD be some plant out there that gets the name Crapweed, and generally things do end up with names that they deserve.

Of course in the case of a person's screen name, it's tougher because presumably no one wants to be the Crapweed. We'll generally go with something closer to positive. Some folks actually _might_ settle on Crapweed as a screen name and that tells you something about them. One could suggest that it just raises questions ("Why such an unflattering name?") but the kinds of questions it raises also tell you something or at least suggest things in a certain direction.

Personally, I tend to get a bit of a vibe from the combo of a persons name and avatar. I think it's tougher to make an educated guess without a pic.


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## Kurashu (Jun 18, 2007)

Sound of Azure said:
			
		

> I was thinking it was Engrish for "Crash"... or what Nyaricus said.





That's pretty much right. The first part. I'm neither asian nor obessed with their culture (though, I'll admit, I was almost a japanophile once).

Bascially, I have an obession with a boss from Megaman 2. Crashman. Easily the coolest boss ever. He has bombs for hands. What's not to love? And for a while I was really upset that Capcom hadn't placed Crashman into their Megaman.EXE series. So I got my friend, who said she spoke fluent Japanese, to translate it into japanese. So for a while I was KurashuOtoko.EXE, or KOE for short (which apparently means dirt or stinky or something to that affect in Japanese roflcopter).

Then I got bored with the big long name and stopped playing the Megaman.EXE games. So I just shortened it to Kurashu. At TDottle, most people call me Crashu. And by most people...I mean three. Of the twelve that actually post. lollerskates


I've had a plethora of different names. Often times weird ones. MrGoodyGoody was my first...I shun that one. Then it was ZeroXCrystal. Then....Agent Jay I think. Jupiter (And Jupiter.EXE, again Megaman) came next. After that it was Crashman, which became KOE. And now Kurashu. Those are just the ones I remember.

At TDottle, I've gone by several names just depending on what I felt like at the time. Josh Scogin, Chocolate Truffle, some random russian letter, The True 3.14159 (though, that was part of everyone making joke Pi names), Xi (the letter and the word), Zerg Overlord, and more I'm forgetting. I also registered a fake profile using my friend's name spelled backwards.


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## Mark Hope (Jun 18, 2007)

Yeah, I'd say that a screen name makes an impression - a particularly funny one tends to make me think that its owner is a witty sort, for example, just as a name like GreyhawkJunkee (or whatever) might cause one to make certain assumptions about the poster 

My screen name is my real name, so I'm not sure what kind of impression that makes, lol.  I chose to use my real name as I originally joined Enworld to help publicise some athas.org releases and figured that I should use the same name that appeared on our products and website.  I've since moved on from working with the DS crew, but the screen name has stayed.  My avatar is my beloved Kubicki Ex-Factor bass, which does say something about me and my interests 

I post elsewhere as Kamelion, but I can't for the life of me remember why I picked that name.  Nothing to do with Doctor Who, though.  Seems a bit of an odd choice when I think about it, but there you go.


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## Mycanid (Jun 18, 2007)

Nyaricus said:
			
		

> ...Funny story about my name, which I always forget. I knew a guy from my neighbourhood since he and I were in kindergarten and up to high school; he was chinese. His name was Tychicus, pronounced "tich-i-cus" or somesuch. Not really roman at all....




On the contrary, Tychicus IS in fact an old Roman name.


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## Olaf the Stout (Jun 19, 2007)

Sound of Azure said:
			
		

> Names of that kind give me headaches at times. Then again, I have a tendency of writing in full sentences in my text messages. Maybe it's a personality thing?




I also write in full sentences when I send text messages, unless I need some extra characters to finish off my message.  When that happens I go back and change the "to's" to "2" and the "for's" to 4, etc., (all the really obvious ones).  I also use proper punctuation.  But I guess I'm just anal like that!    

Olaf the Stout


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## Piratecat (Jun 19, 2007)

It's why I don't text; it annoys me to abbreviate a three letter word down to one.

And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?


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## Mycanid (Jun 19, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> It's why I don't text; it annoys me to abbreviate a three letter word down to one.
> 
> And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?




[Puzzlingly scratches his cap - Musclesmart Niftyrich?  :\ ]

Actually PC to be honest your avatar says WAY more to me about "who you are" rather than your screen name....


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## Piratecat (Jun 19, 2007)

Mycanid said:
			
		

> Actually PC to be honest your avatar says WAY more to me about "who you are" rather than your screen name....



All hail Chronosome, who drew the original for me as a gift!







To this day, it makes me very happy.


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## Mycanid (Jun 19, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> All hail Chronosome, who drew the original for me as a gift!




WHOA! The bird!    

Now the BIRD could be named Musclesmart Niftyrich! What a great bird! ... pity it would make the image too small if you included the whole thing in the avatar "space" though.

Ah well! [Pardon the slight thread wander tangent folks   ]


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## Whizbang Dustyboots (Jun 19, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> It's why I don't text; it annoys me to abbreviate a three letter word down to one.



Get a Treo (or iPhone) and abbreviate nothing! Annoy all the texters no end!


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## Whizbang Dustyboots (Jun 19, 2007)

Now I wonder what level you have to be for Piratecat's bird to give you a quest.


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## Torm (Jun 19, 2007)

I chose my screenname to give people a fair chance of guessing right away that I am another one of those over-the-top, "problem" Paladin players.


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## Mycanid (Jun 19, 2007)

Torm said:
			
		

> I chose my screenname to give people a fair chance of guessing right away that I am another one of those over-the-top, "problem" Paladin players.




Hmm ... didn't work with me.  :\

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

ROFL!!!!


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## Jesus_marley (Jun 19, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> It's why I don't text; it annoys me to abbreviate a three letter word down to one.
> 
> And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?





yeah it does... but gives me the impression that you're compensating.....


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## Wulf Ratbane (Jun 19, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?




Musclesmart T. Niftyrich


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## Aurora (Jun 19, 2007)

Few screen names leave an impression on me. Avatars leave more of an impression, but not near as much as people's posts. It doesn't take me long to peg certain personalities on a messageboard. Like the people who are emo, people who are just all around whiny, those who are so gung-ho on narrow interpretations of rules that they forget that games are about having fun, drama queens, attention whores.......I could go on forever. 

I picked my screen name, like many, because she is a D&D character of mine. My first in fact, and 5.5 years later, I am still playing her. Although I have played a few others in between


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## Aurora (Jun 19, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> It's why I don't text; it annoys me to abbreviate a three letter word down to one.
> 
> And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?



Sounds like something from MST3K's Space Mutiny episode. 

Big McLargeHuge
Flank McBrickgroin
Slab SquatThrust
Smoke Manmuscle 

"Captain Santa Claus is gonna be pissed."

*chuckles even though she is probably the only one doing so*


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## Ferret (Jun 19, 2007)

I always get some kind of impression from a screen name, often meaning I mistake girls for guys. But I also go on avatar, a lot.


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## Jeysie (Jun 19, 2007)

stevelabny said:
			
		

> Screen names can help with gender. Reading the names in this thread, I'd assume everyone is a guy except Jeysie and Pixie. (of course, pixie is a guy and a married one at that...but as he explained, the name comes from his wife.)




Oddly, I've had people think I was male before... but mostly I agree there something vaguely feminine-sounding about "Jeysie".



			
				Aurora said:
			
		

> Sounds like something from MST3K's Space Mutiny episode.
> 
> Big McLargeHuge
> Flank McBrickgroin
> ...




Not the only one chuckling, I assure you. _Space Mutiny_ is one of my favorite MST3K episodes.

"Enjoy a nice helping of apple brown betty with DEATH! ...but mostly eat death."

"Put your helmet on, we'll be reaching speeds of three!"

Peace & Luv, Liz


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## Harmon (Jun 19, 2007)

I tend to think of past experiences with people/posters, and not so much about what the name invokes in me when I read/hear it.

Course, I tend not to judge at first sight, let the experience with the people dictate how I feel about them.


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## Olaf the Stout (Jun 20, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?




If "Look at me, I'm a pompous bastard." is the _ring_ you are going for then yes, yes it does.     

Olaf the Stout


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## Piratecat (Jun 20, 2007)

Olaf the Stout said:
			
		

> If "Look at me, I'm a pompous bastard." is the _ring_ you are going for then yes, yes it does.



Hmm. I was going for pompous _glamorous well-hung muscular_ bastard. Drat. I'll have to refine it.


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## DaveMage (Jun 20, 2007)

There's always "Max Power" for all your username needs.


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## Olaf the Stout (Jun 20, 2007)

DaveMage said:
			
		

> There's always "Max Power" for all your username needs.




Strap yourself in and feel the G's.    

Olaf the Stout


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## BOZ (Jun 20, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> It's why I don't text; it annoys me to abbreviate a three letter word down to one.




seriously.  soon, people will grow up not knowing how to spell.  well, even worse than they already do.


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## kenobi65 (Jun 20, 2007)

BOZ said:
			
		

> seriously.  soon, people will grow up not knowing how to spell.  well, even worse than they already do.




Apparently, in much the same way that the Shift key faces extinction.


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## Thunderfoot (Jun 20, 2007)

Mycanid said:
			
		

> On the contrary, Tychicus IS in fact an old Roman name.



Darn my scholl sched... you beat me to it.  Yes, it was the name of a very famous scholar and historian from about the 2nd C. AD (or CE for you modern science types).


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## Thunderfoot (Jun 20, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> Hmm. I was going for pompous _glamorous well-hung muscular_ bastard. Drat. I'll have to refine it.



Are you on the crack again PC? ... I told you, one day that's gonna bite you in the hind quarters.


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## was (Jun 20, 2007)

never really thought about screen names much


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## BOZ (Jun 20, 2007)

kenobi65 said:
			
		

> Apparently, in much the same way that the Shift key faces extinction.




i pried the damn thing off!  who needs it!


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## awayfarer (Jun 20, 2007)

Aurora said:
			
		

> Sounds like something from MST3K's Space Mutiny episode.
> 
> Big McLargeHuge
> Flank McBrickgroin
> ...




Buck Plankchest!
Stump Chunkman!
Dirk Hardpec!
Rip Steakface!
Slate SLabrock!
Crud Bonemeal!
Slate Fistcrunch!
Buff Hardback!
Bob Johnson!


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## kenobi65 (Jun 20, 2007)

awayfarer said:
			
		

> Buck Plankchest!
> Stump Chunkman!
> Dirk Hardpec!
> Rip Steakface!
> ...




I've always thought that Hugh Jackman sounded like it would be that kind of name.

"My gawd, that guy's got a Hugh Jackman!"


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## Wulf Ratbane (Jun 20, 2007)

BOZ said:
			
		

> i pried the damn thing off1  who needs it1  ;0




Fixed it for you.


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## Hijinks (Jun 20, 2007)

I actually don't look at usernames while reading posts on message boards.  I surf the web at work on the downlow and don't use the whole screen, just a small window.  So I only make the window big enough to read the post text, not the screen name of the poster.

I tend to use one-word names that are just a typical word from the dictionary, and make it personal to me.  I've been Hijinks for years because no one ever thought to use the name, I guess.  I've always been able to get it.  Until I started posting like a fiend in the Vanguard: Saga of Heroes forum a year before the game launched, and then suddenly there was a Hijinks on every server, it seemed (grr).


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## Mycanid (Jun 21, 2007)

Aurora said:
			
		

> Sounds like something from MST3K's Space Mutiny episode.
> 
> Big McLargeHuge
> Flank McBrickgroin
> ...




ROFL!

Now THESE are good names.


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## Bullgrit (Jun 21, 2007)

Thanks for the responses.

What's the Discworld - Bullgrit connection?

Bullgrit


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## awayfarer (Jun 22, 2007)

Bullgrit said:
			
		

> Thanks for the responses.
> 
> What's the Discworld - Bullgrit connection?
> 
> Bullgrit




Theres a character by the name of Foul Ol' Ron who's trademark line is "Buggrit! Millenium hand and shrimp!"


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## Dioltach (Jun 22, 2007)

Where's my daddy?
Is that my daddy?
He goes, 'Bugrit! Millennium hand and shrimp!'
He's Foul Ole Ron!
That's not my daddy!


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## mcrow (Jun 22, 2007)

My username is my first initial M for Mike and last name "Crow". My avatar is a croped picture of me from my wedding in Jamaica. 

People seem to think my user name is McCrow or sum such. So maybe i remind them of a hamberger?


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## Zoatebix (Jun 22, 2007)

For the longest time, I thought that "Zoatebix" was the word for "cow fodder" in some made-up language from a miniatures game that my big sister's high school boyfriend liked.  He thought it sounded cool, and I thought it sounded cool, and I adopted it as an internet handle back in 1993, 4, or 5.

It turns out my understanding of what it meant and how it was spelled was a little mistaken: "Zoats are creatures from the first Hive Fleets that looked like centaurs... They are now exinct and their favourite food... [was] Zoatabix, a biscuit like substance."
(from http://forum.blacklibrary.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=9494)

So there you have it.  My user name is a misspelling of the favorite food of creature written out of the Warhammer Universe.  That's prestige right there!
-George


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## Agamon (Jun 23, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> And I'll tell you, if I had known screen names led to impressions, I'd have _totally_ named myself "Musclesmart Niftyrich." It just has this _ring_ to it, don't you think?




I think so...


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## Wild Gazebo (Jun 24, 2007)

I guess they would have to make some kind of impression...I'm just not sure of how much.  

I think most gamers recognize the lineage of my screen name.


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## freyar (Jun 25, 2007)

I find that avatars and, for community supporters, the custom user descriptions say a lot more than the screen names.

Mine comes from my name (last plus initials) and also happens to be a bastardized spelling of a Norse god.  Just don't tell him, as he might get angry.


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## Mycanid (Jun 25, 2007)

freyar said:
			
		

> I find that avatars and, for community supporters, the custom user descriptions say a lot more than the screen names.
> 
> Mine comes from my name (last plus initials) and also happens to be a bastardized spelling of a Norse god.  Just don't tell him, as he might get angry.




Ahhh ... Icelandic poetry and sagas. Gotta love em!


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## death tribble (Jun 26, 2007)

Mycanid said:
			
		

> *sigh*  :\
> 
> Well, I bring on myself.




You do it to yourself you do,
and that's what really hurts
You do it to yourself you do,
and that's what really hurts
You do it to yourself 

I look like my avatar. That really surprises people.


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## reveal (Jun 26, 2007)

Wulf Ratbane said:
			
		

> Musclesmart T. Niftyrich



 Musclesmart T. Niftyrich, Esq.


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## Nuclear Platypus (Jun 29, 2007)

reveal said:
			
		

> Musclesmart T. Niftyrich, Esq.




Dr. Musclesmart T. Niftyrich, Esq.


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## Piratecat (Jun 29, 2007)

Nuclear Platypus said:
			
		

> Dr. Musclesmart T. Niftyrich, Esq.




Dr. Musclesmart T. Niftyrich III, Esq.

It's important to imply the family history.


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## reveal (Jun 29, 2007)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> Dr. Musclesmart T. Niftyrich III, Esq.
> 
> It's important to imply the family history.



 You could always pretend you're from the South and call yourself "Dr. Musclesmart T. Niftyrich III Jr., Esq."


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## Bloosquig (Jun 29, 2007)

I've never really thought about it but I guess it's easier to not get as much of a first impression off someone unless they attempt to stand out more.  After all most of the senses don't work online, I can't see or smell you I can only go by what I've seen you write.  So unless your name or pic is something totally out there I won't have anything else to go by.  Interesting topic.    

My name is from a Warhammer ork pirate I made up to lead my merry band of greenskins.  I've been using it for years now for all sorts of stuff since its easy to read and everyone who knows me knows what it is and its never taken.  If I didn't use Bloosquig I'd have to go with Hirosaki (my first character all those many years ago) or Blunfiddlin Sniksnok the 20 11th my gnomish illusionist.  He was probably my favorite character of all time.


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## Shemeska (Jun 29, 2007)

For years I've had people thinking I was a lesbian.


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## Wereserpent (Jun 29, 2007)

Shemeska said:
			
		

> For years I've had people thinking I was a lesbian.




You were always rather adrogynous to me Shemmy.


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