What’s In A (Screen) Name?
by ted2112, HSM team writer
How many names do you have? If you’re like me, you have at least a dozen or so. Birth name, nickname, that crazy name you got on that fake ID you got at the flea market as a kid, tons of different on-line account names and last but certainly not least your name on Home and PSN.
So, what’s in that name that you get to choose?
A lot, actually. Unlike your birth name, you get to pick it instead of your parents naming you after your great uncle from the old country. Your online name is truly yours and a great way to express yourself. Take my name for example: Ted 2112. Do you know what that means? Most of you won’t and that’s okay, but a small group of people will know it’s a reference to an album released in 1976 by a Canadian rock band. Care to guess which one? And no cheating!
I have seen all kinds of music references in Home. I think it’s a great way to show your loyally to a band or artist, and that’s just the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Sports teams, cities, literary and video games characters, the list just goes on and on. Names are important; they identify who we are as individuals, and it’s equally important that they make us feel good about our virtual selves.
The coolest name I have ever heard in my life is Buck Dharma. He’s the lead guitarist for Blue Oyster Cult. Wow, what a cool name! It’s really his stage name; in real life he is Donald Roeser, but Buck Dharma sounds way more like a guy standing with an electric guitar in front of a row of Marshall stacks. It’s a neat switch to throw: in the grocery store he’s Donald, but in front of a stadium of fans, ladies and gentleman, it’s Buck Dharma.
Steven King wrote for years under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Kurt Vonnegut created a whole new persona named Kilgore Trout. Robert Zimmerman changed into Bob Dylan. Even the Brontë sisters first published their work under the male pseudonyms of Currier, Ellis, and Acton Bell. In the mashup category, George Lucas took the words Dark and Invader to make our favorite bad guy, Darth Vader.
Naming yourself after something you love is something the rich and famous have done for years, and on Home we can do it too.
Meet xCuteSamuraiGirl69x.
We can choose almost anything we want to express ourselves or to become the person we always wanted to be. It can be letters and/or numbers; so who do you want to be? I’ve seen a lot of names with the word “samurai” out there, also the word, “cute.” The number 69 seems to be as popular as ever, as is (fill-in-the-blank) Girl. Like a Mad Lib, just fill in the adjective in the blank and bingo, you get an instant PSN name.
Now to be fair, you’re kind of on the spot when you have to choose a name. You see this PSN thing, decide to give it a try, and a few questions in you have to make this momentous choice that will be floating above your head for all eternity. After trying several choices and being told they’re already in use, you craft that special ode to your true self. Sometimes it’s brilliant, and sometimes it’s not, so I am very understanding of the Horse_ Lover73’s and the Deamongamer666’s of the world. Too bad there’s not a name change option, because I bet Dance-4-eva-girl maybe some day will want to be Just-want-2-sit-down-girl instead.
Your name will be your tag, your flag, and your legend in this great virtual world we call Home. I’m not just Ted – I feel as cool as that 1976 multi-platinum album Ted. I hope your name makes you feel cool as well. Our esteemed editor here at HSM, Terra_Cide, has a killer name. I know what you’re thinking: Final Fantasy, right? Yeah, I thought the same thing when I first met her too. It’s actually from a Tori Amos song called Bliss. Not only is this a great name and a great song and artist, it’s also a wonderful example of how you can make friends on Home.
You name can be an invitation for finding people with similar tastes as yourself. For example, one day I was waiting to score some swag from that shady T-shirt guy in the old Irem Square location, and someone walks up to me and quotes a line from that album I used in my name. That someone – who has a great name as well, Lightning-CC, and yes that is a Final Fantasy reference – I knew had similar tastes as myself, and long story short we’ve have been friends ever since.
We are all characters in our own novels or movies. Everything we do online is written by ourselves. It’s our world to do with what we will. The stage is in place and the talent is us. What names are in your script? What special meaning does your name represent? Is it something we all can guess or is it more cryptic? Like Frank Zappa once said, “You are what you is.”
I couldn’t agree more.
Your name is your flag, so fly it high and proud.
January 30th, 2012 by ted2112 | 31 comments
ted2112 is a writer and a Bass player that has been both inspired and takes to heart Kurt Vonnegut words...."we are here on planet Earth to fart around, and don't let anyone tell you different."
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I know right away which Canadian band you are referring to. My favorite is Moving Pictures though. Not many people can tell me where my ID name comes from. Only one person has been able to tell me.
Well, there might be a less overt meaning, but I always took it as a rather direct reference to the Orion Nebula, considering you’ve got a New General Catalogue reference in your screen name.
(Granted, I’m an astrophysics geek, so there could easily be a pop-culture reference that’s sailing over my head.)
Norse, you are absolutely correct. M42 was taken so I fell back to NGC. Some people like to guess what NGC stands for and they have fun with it. It is w great conversation starter. Oh I forgot there was one other person that approached me a long while back that knew what my ID was but didn’t know exactly what NGC stood for. Kudos Norse.
Without cheating I would guess It’s the character Orion Quest from the anime series Grandizer followed by your initials and birth year??
Most people think that it references my birth, which was why I almost decided not to use it. Very enjoyable read, Ted.
I wrote an article about this as well. Its funny what our names reveal about us. I wonder how many people knew when they chose their name that it couldnt be changed
Great article and a very fun read. It takes a long time to find that perfect name and when you finally come up with something, it could be taken so they offer you suggestions that are similar with numbers coming after it. When that isn’t what you are looking for, you try to come up with something else and then you are kind of stuck with what you come up with. When I first started playing MMO’s, I tried to come up with a cool name but everything I wanted was taken. So I made something long up, which in turn wasn’t so great. When I started making friends they didn’t want to have to type my name and needed a short nickname. We tried several but nothing stuck. So one time we were all hanging out and I was being quiet and one of my friends asked me if I was “Lost”. So everyone thought that was a cool name and the name “Lost” stuck and most of my friends on the game began to call me that. Where did the Rainbow part come from? Well I am a big fan of Rainbows and I felt that just “Lost” was too short so I came up with LostRainbow. I thought it was kind of cool. Some people call me Rain or Rainbow and I like that too.
So anyway, I am happy with my name. I love looking at all the names people come up with and you are right, sometimes finding a name with a reference to something you like or are into make you feel that you want to approach the person and be their friend so you can talk about your common interest!
Great article as always, it would be interesting to hear how other people chose their names!
It is great to connect with someone’s ID that shares a common interest. I vote for dolohies at Hudson that have names that reference a common interest. Just the other day, I came across one named Klaatu that I had to vote for even though I knew it wouldn’t win.
DarthGranny did an article awhile back about how people chose their IDs. I think we are due for anotvher one.
Personally, I didn’t have to think too hard to come up with this name. My life experiences have been interesting to say the least.
Hunter S. Thompson once said it. I must have been one of Godz prototypes, Too rare to kill and too wild to put into mass production.
I think we are all prototypes,
and we are all so much more than our names.
Great article Ted! The last one was really good too!
Great story behind your name! The world needs more “Gonzo” in it!
We sure do Ted! LOL!
What we really need is a Bill and Ted’s Excellent Machinima. Just saying.
count me in, (air guitar solo)
I made sure to come up with an ID that was so obscure, it was almost guaranteed to be available regardless of the website or service I was signing up for; even years down the road.
I’d much rather be known by the same monicker across the entire virtual world, than just be another Sp1d3rm4n_476584 or XxXWhySoSeriousXxX with differing digits at the end.
I couldn’t go with the digit name either. I don’t like the idea that I am just a number.
My avatar name is an inside joke. People assume that it means Keara (name) 22 (age) and hi (friendly). Not at all: 22 means Tutu, a term of affection in Hawaii for an elderly auntie, and HI is the postal code for Hawaii.
The Hawaiians I meet in Home usually figure it out and start asking if I have any pupus to share. (Aunties are known for having snacks and cookies for the keikis). So every Hawaiian keiki (child) knows they can mooch pupus off every Tutu in the neighborhood.
My hide away id was STFU-IDGAF It was soon banned lmao
Good read! I’m proud to call myself Jayson619!
Bcos my foes know sickening I am on my dirt bike in MotorStorm Apocalypse!
Love the article! My “nick” has been with me since September 1984. It came about when I was hatched into dragonkind through some friends from alt.fan.dragons. Yes, I know, totally old school right? My full name is Dlyrius Amorsia and it means crazy love.. which pretty well fits me to a tee. In fact, I even get mail to my real home under that name LOL.. omg, I swear I am NOT addicted!
Well done Ted. I’ve seen so many people with random smatterings of numbers and letters attached to their name I honestly don’t give it much thought when I see something like “2112” or “NGC1976″. Although I do admit I thought NGC was a reference to Nintendo Game Cube and 1976… birth year, as most would have thought.
I actually signed up on PSN the first hour of its existence to be sure that I was able to secure Gideon for my PSN name. Most assume my name comes from Scott Pilgrim or Criminal Minds. Mandy Patinkin is the man (Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.)
Good article idea, and good read too!
My name’s very obscure, thankfully obscure enough I can take it with me nearly everywhere eg singing up for gaming sites, social networks etc. Though I’ve noticed quite a few “Krazys” poppoing up in the last couple years!
It’s a reference to my lost best friend. Whenever we ended up talking to strange drunk people (that’s not difficult in Scotland) he’d usually say something like “Maaaan, he was krazy-in-the-face-drunk!” I found this hilarious the first time and it became a running joke with us.
Now it’s just kinda me…
I capitalised the Z in Liza so that people wouldn’t call me Lisa. Judging from the number of people who still address me as Lisa, there must be a high percentage of dyslexics on Home.
The “Ms” was a title granted to me by our Eastern European housemaid several years ago. I felt that it had a certain cachet to it when I was 12. In hindsight, I think she had a more sardonic implication in mind. I can still laugh about it in a self-deprecating sort of way.
Fun article.
I’m surprised at the number of misspelled ID’s that I’ve seen. Yes, we all make typos, but if ever there was a time to double-check your typing this is it. I won’t name names (ID’s)but here are some partial ID examples: “wepon” “angle (when they meant angel)” “awsome” “phonix” “frend” “mokey (Yes, I asked. It was supposed to be monkey.)” “genral” “godess” “dengerous” and one of my favorites: “mraksman”. I guess he shoots better than he types.
You forgot the most common typo of all -- “rouge” instead of “rogue”. I always get a chuckle when I see that in someone’s ID. Especially since “rouge” is French for red, and can also be used for blush (the makeup).
archery! WOO HOO!!
I never have understood the way people on some sites use numerals as letters on some sites…I thought it was some kind of gangster crapola they were trying put across..Rather than choose some obscure or difficult id..I chose my first and Middle name …It’s who I am and easy to remember since it’s me
Actually, the alpha-numerics come from geek culture -- “leet speak” or “1337 5p34k” -- has its origins in the early to mid-1980s BBS systems.
Love the article Ted. My name stems from my real life name and my birth year, but I like that it is easy to remember too. It also portrays where I grew up, in the suburbs, therefore I am a suburbanite.
I have seen a few names that are downright obscene.or openly offensive to me and everyone around me. Many times the person attached is a troll as well. When I run across them I report the person so that the mods see the name and hopefully get rid of it. There is no call for that in Home, especially with younger kids around.
I use a reference to a pbemail (play by email for you young’uns)I was in 10 or 12 years ago. Gender-neutral in case I need to activate my troll-chaser, gives me a reasonable nickname for others to type, impersonal … so imagine my astonishment as someone runs up to me saying “Hello. How wonderful to see you! I’m a big fan!” Of me???
Turns out I should have Googled it. “Bayern” has a great football (soccer) team & this person thought I was another fan. We got that straightened out, no, we’re not now lovers nor even Friends. Most people who have any recognition of it simply ask if I’m German.
So much for careful planning and forethought. LOL
When I first established my name, it was simply to recieve a free gift from a relative by way of Gran Turismo 5’s gift system. Then I found ‘Home’ and as I entered, I found that my casual name was indeed my screen name. To this day I still get the question: “are you a guy or a girl?” I have many nicknames,Fema, Mael, Strom, Femael,Fem, and often get corrected for ‘misspelling’ ‘femael’ or ‘strom’. Both of these elements of my screen name are correctly spelled and intended as they are, as it is a play on the words ‘female’ and ‘maelstrom’. The name was a nod to my art style, and a play on words, it was once a regret, now though, I embrace it. It serves it’s purpose and when I need it has several different advantages in home, but I will keep those close to the chest for now.(insert evil laugh)
Fun and interesting article Ted2112. Thanks to everyone who wrote about their own Home IDs too.
My NA ID, s01101111s, was borne out of frustration. The various names I was inputting at the time were constantly being rejected!
Being far too impatient and somewhat upset I decided I’d use numbers, figuring it was unlikely someone would have a numerical combination. I further decided to make it a bit of a puzzle or riddle (relating to my frustrating experience in securing an ID).
Unfortunately that ID doesn’t easily make for the shorter, faster nickname that we like to use for each other (unless you solve it). Fortunately most of my Home friends just call me Trill and that works well I think.
Trillian is from Tricia McMillan and the brilliant mind of Douglas Adams.
My dolphy in Japan are named Beeblebrox, Marvin and DONT PANIC. My Japan ID is Maunto-Miji, which I have some regrets over…what was meant as an homage to Mount Fuji turned out a tad different. Maunto is the Japanese romanization for Mount and Miji is phonetically similar and incorporates my last name’s first letter. However, native Home Japanese may just think the silly gaijin didn’t know their grandest mountain’s proper name or that it’s some sort of sexual reference. But I’m fine with it, mostly.