Real name, user name, or some nickname?

Well, girls and boys, I have not enough reliability to name every one of you

Although my handle on this site is John McIntyre, my use of it stems from some illicit sexual activity I participated in when I was 13. I had to travel to and from school by train in West Cumbria, England, past the Sellafield Atomic plant. The school taught me and the rest of the class the "Facts of Life"! On the way back home, a few of us wanted to try it out. I finished up in a toilet on the train with a girl doing a bit of 'exploration', but (fortunately) there wasn't enough room to perform properly. Many years later, I read the original M*A*S*H book, where I learned how Trapper John got his name. He was 'well away' with his date in a train toilet and was caught "in the act" by the train conductor. She renaged on the arrangement by yelling "He trapped me, he trapped me!" Trapper John's full name was John Francis Xavier McIntyre.

I also had the nick-name Taff, as my ancestry is predominantly Welsh.

Vompatti wrote: ^ How about "Kibble"?

Oh Vompatti... You just... had to bring that back up didn't you

Yes, I would respond to that name also

Chris ... Coops ... T.Rox ... Dinosaur ... I will generally respond to any of them.  

Peter wrote: Hmmmm...   Bomb Japan? Bolivian Jurist? Born Jewish? Bug Juice? Blue Jewels? Bring Juanita? Bite Juan? Biscuit Jelly? Burmese Jungle? Bongo Judo? Burgundy Jam? Blame Jesus? Burning Joint? Bang Jimenez? Bonk Janice? Bleating Jackass? Busking Jazzmen? Brawny Joe? Broken Jaw? Balmy Jupiter? Boring Job? Blown Jape? Bikini Jane? Beginner's Jitters? Bimini Jade? Black Jaguar? Bloody Journey? Belly Jeopardy? Beautiful Jasper? Basking Jailer? Boyfriend Jilter? Big Judy?      I dunno -- it's on the tip of my tongue, as it were....or not!

You forgot BeetleJuice ;)

Logan wrote: Peter wrote: My real name is Peter, and you can all call me that, just as people do in real life (though often at work I get "Sir,' which I don't mind as a traditional sign of respect for my position).   I have never used a nickname here. Way back when I joined, I decided to be "real," to mean what I say, and to attach my actual name to all of my posts, to show that I took responsibility for my words, and was not hiding behind some nickname or assumed "web persona." I am an actual person, not a "role" or "construct." (I also wanted my reviews to have my real name attached to them, as they are my original work.)   I had no previous experience with forums (this is still the only one I belong to), so perhaps naively I started out with my full name here (as Jim Garten still does). After a couple of years or so, though, and some particularly acrimonious exchanges with others, I decided to remove my last name, in the interest of my own privacy and security, and that of my family -- you never really know just how unbalanced an angry (or possibly lovestruck?) stranger on the web might be. I also did not want just anyone to be able to Google my name, and link to all of my posts here (some of which might not be the sort of thing I'd want a boss or student to be able to read and instantly associate with me, for example).   Thus today, I just go by my first name here. Much like getting a tattoo, a nickname would frankly feel silly to me, and "limiting."    I have also often wondered why so many use nicknames, only to then get called by their (publicly listed) real first name anyway, by all who come to "know" them. I just can't keep track of all of those real names, if it's the nickname which I see on the posts on a routine basis. ("Logan" is Greg, "Dude" is Geoff, "Maani" is Ian, "Vibrationbaby" is Ian, "Easy Livin" is Bob, etc, etc, etc.) Why have a nick, if people generally and freely just call you by your actual name anyway, and you even encourage that by disclosing it in PMs, etc? I don't get it.   Anyway, I'd like to close with a general request: Many here know my surname from my early days here, but I would really be grateful if they would nonetheless respect my wish to now keep it more private and off the forum. It irks me when people write my full name (as some have done with Tony, above) -- I think you should not use someone's last name online, if the member himself doesn't use it. (Again, I dropped mine for a reason).    So please, just call me Peter -- if you really mean Peter Gabriel, or Peter Hammill, then use their last names. Me, I'm just "Peter" -- for real.   Interesting topic! ...but it's pleasing when people refer to me by real name as it indicates for me that those people have taken an interest in me (even if they don't remember my real name, at least they've checked my hardly informative profile).  If I used Greg as my username, then automatically everyone would call me that, and therefore it would be less of a pleasure when people call me by my real name.  I know that's very shallow of me, but it's comforting when people take some interest in the more personal details.

That is a great post, Greg; I only highligted this particular bit because I can really identify with it.  When I first began posting in internet forums, I did not realize the personal component that comes with time - eventually I would became comfortable and connected with the people behind the avatars and realized that it's only a semi-imaginary world.  When I registered here, I had no intention of being ME, in fact that was the whole point - to get away from real life.  I was perfectly content to be JImmy or JR or whatever.  I can see what Peter was getting at with "hiding" behind a pseudonym: that was part of the allure of internet boards.  You are given the chance to create an alter-ego in a way.  I was never one to include any info in my profile, but at some point, after seeing the relationships that people developed (especially at a site like this), I started trying to connect with people.  I can remember the very first day I put my name in the profile; someone (can't remember who) sent me a PM and addressed me as "Ryan."  I found that very comforting yet strange in that my real-world self had followed me to this secret escape.  I guess you can never really get away from it. 

BJ-1 

Barclay James? Bob Johnston?? Billie Jean???

Peter wrote: My real name is Peter, and you can all call me that, just as people do in real life (though often at work I get "Sir,' which I don't mind as a traditional sign of respect for my position).   I have never used a nickname here. Way back when I joined, I decided to be "real," to mean what I say, and to attach my actual name to all of my posts, to show that I took responsibility for my words, and was not hiding behind some nickname or assumed "web persona." I am an actual person, not a "role" or "construct." (I also wanted my reviews to have my real name attached to them, as they are my original work.)   I had no previous experience with forums (this is still the only one I belong to), so perhaps naively I started out with my full name here (as Jim Garten still does). After a couple of years or so, though, and some particularly acrimonious exchanges with others, I decided to remove my last name, in the interest of my own privacy and security, and that of my family -- you never really know just how unbalanced an angry (or possibly lovestruck?) stranger on the web might be. I also did not want just anyone to be able to Google my name, and link to all of my posts here (some of which might not be the sort of thing I'd want a boss or student to be able to read and instantly associate with me, for example).   Thus today, I just go by my first name here. Much like getting a tattoo, a nickname would frankly feel silly to me, and "limiting."    I have also often wondered why so many use nicknames, only to then get called by their (publicly listed) real first name anyway, by all who come to "know" them. I just can't keep track of all of those real names, if it's the nickname which I see on the posts on a routine basis. ("Logan" is Greg, "Dude" is Geoff, "Maani" is Ian, "Vibrationbaby" is Ian, "Easy Livin" is Bob, etc, etc, etc.) Why have a nick, if people generally and freely just call you by your actual name anyway, and you even encourage that by disclosing it in PMs, etc? I don't get it.   Anyway, I'd like to close with a general request: Many here know my surname from my early days here, but I would really be grateful if they would nonetheless respect my wish to now keep it more private and off the forum. It irks me when people write my full name (as some have done with Tony, above) -- I think you should not use someone's last name online, if the member himself doesn't use it. (Again, I dropped mine for a reason).    So please, just call me Peter -- if you really mean Peter Gabriel, or Peter Hammill, then use their last names. Me, I'm just "Peter" -- for real.   Interesting topic!

Thank you for the thoughtful and interesting response.  In regards to your query, Peter (and please excuse the rambling):

I've been using this nick since a couple of years or so after I started with message boards.  Originally I used my full name, both at a screenplay writing site, and then at Rex Murphy's "Cross Country Checkup" forum.  I started using Logan at a site as a fictitious character at a long defunct humour-based site.  After a while I identified myself with the nick and it followed through several boards -- this being my last board.  At other sites I was only known as Logan (or Funk).  I offered my first name in my profile, and others decided to use it (especially PA colleagues of mine), and then I got into the habit of commonly using first names.  I have thought about changing my username to Greg, but then I'd have to specify Greg M. At least I'm the only Logan here.  I actually prefer the name Logan, I have never liked the name Greg or Gregory, but it's pleasing when people refer to me by real name as it indicates for me that those people have taken an interest in me (even if they don't remember my real name, at least they've checked my hardly informative profile).  If I used Greg as my username, then automatically everyone would call me that, and therefore it would be less of a pleasure when people call me by my real name.  I know that's very shallow of me, but it's comforting when people take some interest in the more personal details.  In the past I was not one to divulge things of a personal nature (be it my name, situation, job etc.) but as I've felt closer to this community, I've shared more about myself, and for a long time I have taken an interest in the lives, and not merely "the words", of other people at forums, as I have wanted to "know"/ "understand" people as well as one can in such venues.  I don't like to pry into other people's lives, but one gleans much over time.  I'm particularly fascinated by people's idiosyncrasies.  I must be reasonably well-known for my soggy digressions.  I think it's selfish need of mine because understanding other's helps me to understand myself.   I know this is a serious digression, but it's related -- has to do with my desire to personalise the members more (knowing and using someone's real name is one part of that).  Especially after becoming involved in team work, this site became a more personal venue for me.

Though my memory is not nearly as good as it was before having children, I have a very good memory when it comes to placing real names to nicknames, and for remembering what others have said, but it's not uncommon for me to learn a poster's name by checking the poster's profile.

Anyway, I have seriously considered changing my nick to my real name, but there are various reasons why I would rather keep my old one: people from old sites I visited might recognise me as Logan; I have used Logan for things I have prepared for the site (don't want to have to edit); a change of username can create confusion; people have quoted or referred to "Logan" posts, and it could confuse old threads (make them less readable/ easy to follow); I don't think the admins should have to change it to satisfy my ego; and, egotistically (and this is really very, very minor), there would be no particular pleasure in having people address me by real name if it were my username as well.  It must be said, though, that having people refer to me as Greg in threads has led to confusion (people not knowing who is being referred to -- once had a thread where I was confused with Greg Walker)

I'm fine being called either, though, and tend to be happy to be called something.  I sometimes am chuffed somewhat when spoken to directly rather than being referred to in some vague way (even if it is critical).


Edited by Logan - January 14 2009 at 13:05

That's the closest I've gotten.