53 votes

What do you think about other users' usernames?

This is kind of silly. I've been tild'ing a lot recently and have come to recognize some other users, and am wondering how accurate my simple reactions are, or whether they're shared by anyone else.

  • deimos - Moon of Mars, and also a character in either one of the early Unreal Tournament games or Quake 3 Arena. Uh, also a figure from Greek or Roman mythology or whatever šŸ˜…
  • cfabbro - "C fab bro" - Identifies as a "bro", and does something involving fabrication?
  • douchebag - Expects to get hated on maybe?
  • akir - For some reason makes me think of Admiral Akbar from OG Star Wars.
  • algernon_asimov - Has been explained. I too love Flowers for Algernon and Isaac Asmiov.
  • boxer_dogs_dance - I picture three dogs on their hind legs "holding" each other's forepaws, merrily dancing in a circle. It makes me happy šŸ˜…

Sorry if I've forgotten your username! Reply and I'll tell you what yours makes me think, I'm feeling associative.

149 comments

  1. [27]
    cfabbro
    (edited )
    Link
    LOL, hardly. I'm a queer computer / video game nerd who also loves comics, anime, science fiction, fantasy, and has worked in IT most of my life... so about the furthest you can get from a...

    cfabbro - "C fab bro" - Identifies as a "bro", and does something involving fabrication?

    LOL, hardly. I'm a queer computer / video game nerd who also loves comics, anime, science fiction, fantasy, and has worked in IT most of my life... so about the furthest you can get from a traditional bro. About the only "bro-ish" thing I'm into is combat sports, and have been since I was a kid, but I absolutely hate the bro-ish culture surrounding it. Fabbro is Italian for blacksmith, and it's also my last name.

    thanks for the ping, @Weldawadyathink

    45 votes
    1. [8]
      kfwyre
      Link Parent
      I had no idea! That's so illuminating. My mental view of your username has always been that you're a "fab[ulous] bro" -- someone who's a pleasant balance of distinctly male and distinctly queer.

      Fabbro is Italian for blacksmith, and it's also my last name.

      I had no idea! That's so illuminating.

      My mental view of your username has always been that you're a "fab[ulous] bro" -- someone who's a pleasant balance of distinctly male and distinctly queer.

      15 votes
      1. [7]
        cutmetal
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        Hey, yours is one of those usernames I forgot to mention in the OP! I figure it's just your name, KF Wyre šŸ™ƒ Edit: Kevin Ferdinand Wyre

        Hey, yours is one of those usernames I forgot to mention in the OP!

        I figure it's just your name, KF Wyre šŸ™ƒ

        Edit: Kevin Ferdinand Wyre

        7 votes
        1. [6]
          kfwyre
          Link Parent
          That is so much cooler than my actual IRL name that Iā€™m tempted to change it! Also youā€™re kind of on the right track with it being a sort of name? After using the handle here for a while, I...

          That is so much cooler than my actual IRL name that Iā€™m tempted to change it!

          Also youā€™re kind of on the right track with it being a sort of name? After using the handle here for a while, I started a now abandoned blog that turned ā€œkfwyreā€ into the much more real-name-looking ā€œK. F. Wyreā€.

          The genuine origin story is much more boring. I stole it from a map in the game Killing Floor. In game itā€™s labeled ā€œKF-Wyreā€, which I took wholesale and just changed the aesthetics.

          I chose it partly because I like Killing Floor (though Wyre isnā€™t actually one of my favorite maps), but mostly because it was meaningless and presented as gender neutral.

          I wanted something meaningless because I didnā€™t want to get too attached to it. I first joined Tildes thinking I was going to rotate accounts every so often for privacy purposes. Jokeā€™s on me though, as Iā€™m now quite fond of this handle and dread the idea of leaving it and its history behind.

          Also, I wanted something gender neutral because, while Iā€™m a guy IRL and am fine with that, I also like that the internet can give me a bit of a breather from being seen that way.

          So, ā€œkfwyreā€ was born: a meaningless, genderless sequence of characters, that later got turned into initials with ā€œK. F. Wyreā€, and now has finally blossomed into a full-fledged name ā€” Kevin Ferdinand Wyre ā€” that is way more awesome than the one I actually have.

          Yā€™all can all call me Mr. Wyre now. šŸ˜

          15 votes
          1. redbearsam
            Link Parent
            There's nothing remotely boring about anything from killing floor. Paying it homage as you have marks you as an individual of exquisite taste.

            There's nothing remotely boring about anything from killing floor. Paying it homage as you have marks you as an individual of exquisite taste.

            7 votes
          2. [2]
            Boojum
            Link Parent
            Funny. Whenever I've seen your name, I've been reading it as K. Fwyre. (Like a little kid who can't quite pronounce "fire" correctly.)

            Funny. Whenever I've seen your name, I've been reading it as K. Fwyre. (Like a little kid who can't quite pronounce "fire" correctly.)

            4 votes
            1. kfwyre
              (edited )
              Link Parent
              Honestly, the way I pronounce it in my head is all just one word: kuh-fwhy-er

              Honestly, the way I pronounce it in my head is all just one word: kuh-fwhy-er

              2 votes
          3. Algernon_Asimov
            Link Parent
            You'll always be "KF" to me. There's no need to be so formal. :P

            Yā€™all can all call me Mr. Wyre now.

            You'll always be "KF" to me. There's no need to be so formal. :P

            3 votes
          4. skybrian
            Link Parent
            I have occasionally forgotten your gender and then later something reminded me, so in that sense it worked :)

            I have occasionally forgotten your gender and then later something reminded me, so in that sense it worked :)

            2 votes
    2. CosmicDefect
      Link Parent
      The cfabbro lore is deeper than I thought.

      The cfabbro lore is deeper than I thought.

      11 votes
    3. [9]
      cutmetal
      Link Parent
      Thanks for clearing that up! I sort of figured that at best it was an ironic embrace of bro-ness. Etymology is fascinating. I wonder if Fabbro meaning blacksmith could be translated as or shares...

      Thanks for clearing that up! I sort of figured that at best it was an ironic embrace of bro-ness.

      Etymology is fascinating. I wonder if Fabbro meaning blacksmith could be translated as or shares roots with words meaning "fabrication brother"?

      4 votes
      1. [8]
        cfabbro
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        I've never actually looked into the etymology before, but it apparently comes from fabrum which is Latin for "artisan, craftsman, forger, smith" which originally comes from the Proto-Italic faĪ²ros...

        I've never actually looked into the etymology before, but it apparently comes from fabrum which is Latin for "artisan, craftsman, forger, smith" which originally comes from the Proto-Italic faĪ²ros meaning "to fashion, fit"

        https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fabbro

        10 votes
        1. [5]
          Algernon_Asimov
          Link Parent
          You what? I assumed that everyone would look into the origins of their family name at least once during their life. (Although, maybe this is that once for you...)

          I've never actually looked into the etymology before,

          You what? I assumed that everyone would look into the origins of their family name at least once during their life. (Although, maybe this is that once for you...)

          3 votes
          1. [2]
            cfabbro
            Link Parent
            Yeah, the fact that I had never looked it up before actually surprised me too... especially since I love etymology and often look up all the origins of all sorts of random words. For some strange...

            Yeah, the fact that I had never looked it up before actually surprised me too... especially since I love etymology and often look up all the origins of all sorts of random words. For some strange reason I had never thought to do it for my last name before now though. :/

            4 votes
            1. Algernon_Asimov
              Link Parent
              Oh well. At least you've done it now! I am surprised at the number of people here who are seeing "bro" in your username. To me, it's always been "c _ fabbro", and that "fabbro" has been...

              Oh well. At least you've done it now!

              I am surprised at the number of people here who are seeing "bro" in your username. To me, it's always been "c _ fabbro", and that "fabbro" has been indivisible.

              If someone had ever mentioned it was an Italian surname, I might then have made the jump to the Latin word root "fabr-", as in "fabricate" and "fabric". When you tell us it's an Italian word meaning "smith", as in "blacksmith", the link to "fabricate" becomes obvious.

              And I have just realised that your name is a cognate of the common English surname "Smith". You're an Italian "Smith"! How boooring... :P

              4 votes
          2. [2]
            doors_cannot_stop_me
            Link Parent
            I once had a perfect stranger approach me in an airport in another country, sit next to me and ask me my last name. Stunned, I gave it to them, and they proceeded to tell me its probable...

            I once had a perfect stranger approach me in an airport in another country, sit next to me and ask me my last name. Stunned, I gave it to them, and they proceeded to tell me its probable linguistic path through Europe. Wished me well and left, never to be seen again. That was the once for me.

            3 votes
            1. Algernon_Asimov
              Link Parent
              Wow. That's amazing! And scary. But amazing!

              Wow. That's amazing! And scary. But amazing!

              2 votes
        2. [2]
          cutmetal
          Link Parent
          Neat! Then "fabricate" almost certainly shares a root with "fabbro", but "bro" is probably a coincidence.

          Neat! Then "fabricate" almost certainly shares a root with "fabbro", but "bro" is probably a coincidence.

          2 votes
          1. CptBluebear
            Link Parent
            The name is everywhere. In Dutch we have a lot of "Faber", which is also from that root.

            The name is everywhere. In Dutch we have a lot of "Faber", which is also from that root.

            4 votes
    4. [2]
      clem
      Link Parent
      I'm glad you cleared that up! I never knew what your user name meant, but I'd always thought of it as something simple like mine (though the "lem" part of mine is a shortening of my last name, not...

      I'm glad you cleared that up! I never knew what your user name meant, but I'd always thought of it as something simple like mine (though the "lem" part of mine is a shortening of my last name, not the full last name). I was surprised at the impression that you were some sort of "bro" in that goofy whatever-that-word-means-now sense.

      4 votes
      1. cfabbro
        Link Parent
        Heh. I always assumed your username was short for Clementine! So thanks for clearing that confusion up too. :P

        Heh. I always assumed your username was short for Clementine! So thanks for clearing that confusion up too. :P

        4 votes
    5. [3]
      rosco
      Link Parent
      Truth be told, my brain went to "fabrication bro" aka maker man. With the amount of knowledge you posses and diverse projects you work on it felt right.

      Truth be told, my brain went to "fabrication bro" aka maker man. With the amount of knowledge you posses and diverse projects you work on it felt right.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        cfabbro
        Link Parent
        Hah, thanks, but nah... I'm just old. Live long enough and you too can convince people on the internet that you posses a wealth of knowledge when the reality is that you actually know very little,...

        With the amount of knowledge you posses and diverse projects you work on it felt right.

        Hah, thanks, but nah... I'm just old. Live long enough and you too can convince people on the internet that you posses a wealth of knowledge when the reality is that you actually know very little, but about a lot of disparate things you've stumbled across over the course of your life, and somehow managed to retain bits and pieces of, which you can then regurgitate when needed. :P

        7 votes
        1. Algernon_Asimov
          Link Parent
          Hush, you! Stop giving away my secret!

          Hush, you! Stop giving away my secret!

          7 votes
    6. Plik
      Link Parent
      So one might consider you an.....IT bro? :D

      So one might consider you an.....ā€‹IT bro?

      :D

      3 votes
    7. aphoenix
      Link Parent
      Wait, you went with first initial + lastname for your username? Who does that! /joke (also thanks for the ping below)

      Wait, you went with first initial + lastname for your username? Who does that!

      /joke

      (also thanks for the ping below)

      2 votes
  2. [16]
    Necronomicommunist
    Link
    I never really notice peoples usernames. Early internet forums I'd pay a lot more attention (though it could also be because of avatars and signatures). I dont know why I unlearned it. Does yours...

    I never really notice peoples usernames. Early internet forums I'd pay a lot more attention (though it could also be because of avatars and signatures). I dont know why I unlearned it.

    Does yours have meaning?

    28 votes
    1. [5]
      Quickbeam
      Link Parent
      I just like Ents

      I just like Ents

      13 votes
      1. AdiosLunes
        Link Parent
        "I like turtles" energy, I love it. I also like Ents. We need more Ents.

        "I like turtles" energy, I love it. I also like Ents. We need more Ents.

        12 votes
      2. iamnotree
        Link Parent
        Same. Glad to see Ent friends around.

        Same. Glad to see Ent friends around.

        3 votes
      3. [2]
        CosmicDefect
        Link Parent
        Wait, is Quickbeam the young ent who hangs out with Merry and Pippin when the entmoot is occurring because he already made up his mind to kick Saruman's ass? Edit: Yup....

        Wait, is Quickbeam the young ent who hangs out with Merry and Pippin when the entmoot is occurring because he already made up his mind to kick Saruman's ass?

        Edit: Yup. https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Quickbeam

        3 votes
    2. [2]
      Nny
      Link Parent
      Avatars definitely played a huge role for me. Having a visual representation makes remembering the name a lot easier. Also used to get annoyed when someone would change their avatar because it...

      Avatars definitely played a huge role for me. Having a visual representation makes remembering the name a lot easier.

      Also used to get annoyed when someone would change their avatar because it would confuse me for a bit lol

      7 votes
      1. fxgn
        Link Parent
        Same! That's why I pretty much never change my profile picture. Though recently Telegram (which is what I use the most) added a feature to set separate profile pictures for your contacts and for...

        Also used to get annoyed when someone would change their avatar because it would confuse me for a bit lol

        Same! That's why I pretty much never change my profile picture. Though recently Telegram (which is what I use the most) added a feature to set separate profile pictures for your contacts and for everyone else, so now my public profile picture is always my logo, but the private one is usually a funny photo of me that I sometimes change, because people who I know personally will probably recognize me even with a different pfp.

        1 vote
    3. patience_limited
      Link Parent
      I always notice clever (bad) puns, obvious literary references, etc. in usernames, as /u/triadderall_triangle and /u/Algernon_Asimov can attest. "Necronomicommunist" works, too.

      I always notice clever (bad) puns, obvious literary references, etc. in usernames, as /u/triadderall_triangle and /u/Algernon_Asimov can attest. "Necronomicommunist" works, too.

      5 votes
    4. meech
      Link Parent
      When I was a teen, I was VERY active on YoYoExpert.com and their forums. I didn't have a local yoyo community so I had to resort to the internet to find my tribe. I also happened to find the forum...

      When I was a teen, I was VERY active on YoYoExpert.com and their forums. I didn't have a local yoyo community so I had to resort to the internet to find my tribe. I also happened to find the forum literally during it's founding, and joined in just the first week or so of it's launch.

      One day I found the stats page and found out I was only a dozen or so comments/posts shy of being in the top 5 most active users, so I found myself purposefully posting more and more to get on the list.

      But all this is to say I'm in the same boat as you. Back then I paid attention to posters and commenters. There was a actual sense of community that was really cool. We talked not just about yoyos, yoyoing, and tricks and events, but we chatted about each other's lives. I remember mentioning in an off topic thread that I was going to a marching band competition the coming weekend, and someone PM'd me the next week and asked how it went.

      There was even a small movement a few years into the site's life where a lot of us changed our screen names to just our IRL First Names, which added to the sense of community.

      This largely went away when I migrated to Reddit. I don't know if the amount of users made it harder to keep track, or perhaps the abundance of throw-away accounts? Or perhaps it's just that I've gotten older and no longer feel the need to supplement my friend circle with internet strangers.

      4 votes
    5. dirthawker
      Link Parent
      I tend to pay attention to usernames when I see them come up more frequently (e.g. in a specific thread, or a frequent user in a subreddit or such group) or if they reveal they have something in...

      I tend to pay attention to usernames when I see them come up more frequently (e.g. in a specific thread, or a frequent user in a subreddit or such group) or if they reveal they have something in common with me, such as living in the bay area. Otherwise not really.

      2 votes
    6. [4]
      cutmetal
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      Well I like yours! Lovecraft/Raimi fandom meets socialized politics via wordplay. Mine is a partial anagram for part of my IRL name. I figured it out two years ago, when I was learning welding so...

      Well I like yours! Lovecraft/Raimi fandom meets socialized politics via wordplay.

      Mine is a partial anagram for part of my IRL name. I figured it out two years ago, when I was learning welding so I could fix a rusted out truck frame that an unscrupulous used car salesperson sold to a naĆÆve used car buyer (me).

      E: I also listen to a lot of metal.

      1 vote
      1. [3]
        sparkle
        Link Parent
        How do you do, Taut Camel. Is that a family name or...?

        How do you do, Taut Camel. Is that a family name or...?

        4 votes
        1. sparkle
          Link Parent
          Dang it, I doubled the A - fine then, Tut Camel!

          Dang it, I doubled the A - fine then, Tut Camel!

          2 votes
        2. cutmetal
          Link Parent
          Omg, you've outed me! But only my family calls me Taut, for you it's Tautford. šŸ™ƒ

          Omg, you've outed me! But only my family calls me Taut, for you it's Tautford. šŸ™ƒ

          1 vote
  3. [4]
    xavdid
    Link
    I mostly don't. Many forums have so many users that you're unlikely to come across the same user enough times to develop any sort of relationship. A feature I wish more sites had (tildes included)...

    I mostly don't. Many forums have so many users that you're unlikely to come across the same user enough times to develop any sort of relationship.

    A feature I wish more sites had (tildes included) that I like from Reddit is to be able to mark a user as a "friend". All this does is light up their username in a thread if they've commented. It's great to see someone you "know" pop up in a random thread and it does help develop that sense of community.

    18 votes
    1. [3]
      mycketforvirrad
      Link Parent
      You could utilise the user labels in Tildes ReExtended to achieve this effect.

      A feature I wish more sites had (tildes included) that I like from Reddit is to be able to mark a user as a "friend".

      You could utilise the user labels in Tildes ReExtended to achieve this effect.

      13 votes
      1. xavdid
        Link Parent
        Oh interesting, I'll check that out! I think it's never a good substitute for a service-level thing (which is tied to my account and doesn't need to be explicitly synced), this is probably a good...

        Oh interesting, I'll check that out!

        I think it's never a good substitute for a service-level thing (which is tied to my account and doesn't need to be explicitly synced), this is probably a good stopgap.

        3 votes
      2. Protected
        Link Parent
        Immediately installed. I'd been thinking of making something like this myself (I have a lamentable tendency to just reinvent the wheel instead of looking for existing solutions).

        Immediately installed. I'd been thinking of making something like this myself (I have a lamentable tendency to just reinvent the wheel instead of looking for existing solutions).

        3 votes
  4. [2]
    json
    Link
    My name is Jason and recently I realised that I can refer to json as m'data.

    My name is Jason and recently I realised that I can refer to json as m'data.

    18 votes
  5. [6]
    valar
    Link
    As an Australian I see your username and think it's missing the letter 'n'. I'll walk myself out

    As an Australian I see your username and think it's missing the letter 'n'.

    I'll walk myself out

    17 votes
    1. [3]
      Algernon_Asimov
      Link Parent
      Would that make it "cutmental"? ;) (From another Aussie.)

      Would that make it "cutmental"? ;)

      (From another Aussie.)

      9 votes
      1. [2]
        xk3
        Link Parent
        the opposite of cut metal

        cut'ntmetal

        the opposite of cut metal

        6 votes
        1. Deely
          Link Parent
          even better honestly

          even better honestly

    2. cutmetal
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      HAH! Never occurred to me! This is the exact purpose of this thread šŸ˜… Edit: oh and also I remember you from that LOTR thread. I was among the crowd who was confused that your username was "valar"...

      HAH! Never occurred to me! This is the exact purpose of this thread šŸ˜…

      Edit: oh and also I remember you from that LOTR thread. I was among the crowd who was confused that your username was "valar" in spite of having not read the Silmarillion - I didn't recall valar, maiar etc even being mentioned in LotR, though it's been 20 years since I read them so šŸ¤·

      7 votes
  6. Akir
    Link
    Hmm. Since I was summoned, I might as well give the origins of this handle. It's dumb, though. When I was fairly young I needed a new name to use on the internet because I was previously using...

    Hmm. Since I was summoned, I might as well give the origins of this handle. It's dumb, though.

    When I was fairly young I needed a new name to use on the internet because I was previously using some dumb combination of my real name and some extra numbers. I have famously bad handwriting, so I decided to close my eyes, take the crappiest pen I could find in an unfamiliar grip, and wrote my name down on a piece of paper as sloppily as I possibly could. Then I looked at the scratchings on the paper and attempted to reinterpret them. Thus, @Akir was born.

    In my defense, I came up with it 2-3 years before the other Akir rose to prominence.

    14 votes
  7. [4]
    drdoofenshmirtz
    Link
    Iā€™ve never really thought about the meaning behind peopleā€™s usernames. I just use it to identify people, especially those that I frequently have conversations with. Mine is pretty self explanatory...

    Iā€™ve never really thought about the meaning behind peopleā€™s usernames. I just use it to identify people, especially those that I frequently have conversations with.

    Mine is pretty self explanatory though. Iā€™m a father, guy that enjoys building things, and I just like Phineas and Ferb. Iā€™ve just had a weird attachment to Doof for many many years, and dress up as him for Halloween from time to time.

    13 votes
    1. [3]
      CrazyProfessor02
      Link Parent
      Please tell me one of your kids' got dressed as a platypus with a fedora to go along with your costume.

      Iā€™m a father, guy that enjoys building things, and I just like Phineas and Ferb. Iā€™ve just had a weird attachment to Doof for many many years, and dress up as him for Halloween from time to time.

      Please tell me one of your kids' got dressed as a platypus with a fedora to go along with your costume.

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        drdoofenshmirtz
        Link Parent
        Not quite, but close enough. My wife dressed up as Perry the Platypus one year for Halloween before we got married. It was equal parts hilarious and adorable. This year my daughter wants to go as...

        Not quite, but close enough. My wife dressed up as Perry the Platypus one year for Halloween before we got married. It was equal parts hilarious and adorable. This year my daughter wants to go as Bluey. She has no idea that I secretly put together a Unicorse costume. Iā€™m going to be a huge pain in the ass all night.

        8 votes
        1. CrazyProfessor02
          Link Parent
          Ok, that is awesome. It is really cool that you are doing that with your daughter, to surprise her with your costume. I had to look up the character, because I am not familiar with Bluey, and that...

          Ok, that is awesome. It is really cool that you are doing that with your daughter, to surprise her with your costume. I had to look up the character, because I am not familiar with Bluey, and that might be a fun way to spend that night.

          2 votes
  8. [11]
    Algernon_Asimov
    Link
    I don't put too much thought into other people's usernames. If the origin or meaning is obvious to me, then that's cool. If it's not obvious to me, then I assume it's meaningful to the person who...

    I don't put too much thought into other people's usernames. If the origin or meaning is obvious to me, then that's cool. If it's not obvious to me, then I assume it's meaningful to the person who created the name and I move on with my day.

    That said, there is one username here that frustrates me: mycketforvirrad. I want to know who "virrad" is, and why someone would give them "mycket"! I assume that's not how it works. I assume it's some Scandinavian reference that I will never figure out on my own. But that name looks like "mycket for virrad" to me.

    12 votes
    1. [2]
      cfabbro
      (edited )
      Link Parent
      "mycket fƶrvirrad" = "very confused" in Swedish. Ironic considering the amount of confusion seeing that username seems to cause people. :P p.s. I only know that because I looked it up ages ago...

      "mycket fƶrvirrad" = "very confused" in Swedish. Ironic considering the amount of confusion seeing that username seems to cause people. :P

      p.s. I only know that because I looked it up ages ago when I was trying to figure out what "cket" and who "virrad" was too. My cket for virrad! ;)

      23 votes
    2. [3]
      kfwyre
      Link Parent
      I looked up a translation a while ago and spoiled the mystery for myself, but up until that point my English-speaking brain parsed it the same way you did. I then promptly headcanoned the name,...

      I looked up a translation a while ago and spoiled the mystery for myself, but up until that point my English-speaking brain parsed it the same way you did.

      I then promptly headcanoned the name, thinking of it as a Scandinavian sequel to Flowers for Algernon.

      As in:

      After Daniel Keyesā€™s runaway success with Flowers for Algernon, he moved to Sweden and published a far less well-received follow-up entitled Mycket for Virrad.

      9 votes
      1. AgnesNutter
        Link Parent
        Similar thoughts here but with ā€œWaiting for Godotā€ as it has the same cadence. I canā€™t not read it with the same rhythm

        Similar thoughts here but with ā€œWaiting for Godotā€ as it has the same cadence. I canā€™t not read it with the same rhythm

        4 votes
      2. Algernon_Asimov
        Link Parent
        LOL!

        I then promptly headcanoned the name, thinking of it as a Scandinavian sequel to Flowers for Algernon.

        LOL!

        3 votes
    3. boxer_dogs_dance
      Link Parent
      I had to put that name on a reference document because there isn't a hope in hell I would ever spell it correctly from memory and it is sometimes helpful to ask him about something since he is a...

      I had to put that name on a reference document because there isn't a hope in hell I would ever spell it correctly from memory and it is sometimes helpful to ask him about something since he is a resident tag wizard.

      3 votes
    4. Weldawadyathink
      Link Parent
      @mycketforvirrad I donā€™t know who virrad is, but this one makes me stumble too. I always read it as ā€œmy ticket for something (sometimes covid sometimes something else). My mental process is...

      @mycketforvirrad

      I donā€™t know who virrad is, but this one makes me stumble too. I always read it as ā€œmy ticket for something (sometimes covid sometimes something else). My mental process is usually: hmmm my ticket for ā€¦ ? Oh yeah itā€™s that person.

      3 votes
    5. [3]
      rosco
      Link Parent
      Every time I read his username my brain says "myriad for cricket", I never realized I was reading it oddly until this conversation. I guess that's dyslexia for you!

      Every time I read his username my brain says "myriad for cricket", I never realized I was reading it oddly until this conversation. I guess that's dyslexia for you!

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        RustyRedRobot
        Link Parent
        Is yours a dukes of hazzard reference?

        Is yours a dukes of hazzard reference?

        1 vote
        1. rosco
          Link Parent
          No, like many here it's just a nickname based off my real life name.

          No, like many here it's just a nickname based off my real life name.

          1 vote
  9. [2]
    streblo
    Link
    I'll just say it took me an embarrassingly longtime to realize @spit-evil-olive-tips is a palindrome.

    I'll just say it took me an embarrassingly longtime to realize @spit-evil-olive-tips is a palindrome.

    12 votes
    1. cutmetal
      Link Parent
      Oh god, I hadn't noticed either! šŸ˜…

      Oh god, I hadn't noticed either! šŸ˜…

      5 votes
  10. [9]
    Weldawadyathink
    Link
    Tagging some people so they get a ping @deimos @cfabbro @douchebag @akir @Algernon_Asimov @boxer_dogs_dance The one that stands out the most to me is @douchebag. I usually only see it when someone...

    Tagging some people so they get a ping
    @deimos
    @cfabbro
    @douchebag
    @akir
    @Algernon_Asimov
    @boxer_dogs_dance

    The one that stands out the most to me is @douchebag. I usually only see it when someone replies and @ mentions them. It always has a run through of emotions for me. It starts with anger at someone calling someone else a douchebag, then realization and sadness that that person wanted to be called a douchebag, then a sort of acceptance. I always want to say: @douchebag, I donā€™t think you are a douchebag.

    11 votes
    1. [3]
      Comment deleted by author
      Link Parent
      1. nbschock
        Link Parent
        I put my real name on my Tildes account because going back through my Reddit comments I often realized I get a little too harsh with my comments and are things I would be ashamed of saying in real...

        I put my real name on my Tildes account because going back through my Reddit comments I often realized I get a little too harsh with my comments and are things I would be ashamed of saying in real life. By having my real name on this account, it reminds me to be more like the person I want to be and not the one caught up in the doom scrolling rage bait that is often posted on Reddit.

        4 votes
      2. PantsEnvy
        Link Parent
        I switch usernames yearly. I've noticed, the sillier my username, the more people are more disagreeable, and less likely to take me seriously.

        I switch usernames yearly.

        I've noticed, the sillier my username, the more people are more disagreeable, and less likely to take me seriously.

        2 votes
    2. cutmetal
      Link Parent
      Thank you! I feel the same way about douchebag, but you put it so well. Let this subtree of the thread be a moment of embrace for the person behind that username.

      Thank you! I feel the same way about douchebag, but you put it so well. Let this subtree of the thread be a moment of embrace for the person behind that username.

      2 votes
    3. [5]
      cloud_loud
      Link Parent
      It's kind of crazy that no one had douchebag as a username. Kind of makes me mad I didn't think about having that for my username first.

      It's kind of crazy that no one had douchebag as a username. Kind of makes me mad I didn't think about having that for my username first.

      1 vote
      1. [4]
        Algernon_Asimov
        Link Parent
        There is an actual @douchebag here on Tildes; hence @Weldawadyathink's mention of that as a username.

        It's kind of crazy that no one had douchebag as a username.

        There is an actual @douchebag here on Tildes; hence @Weldawadyathink's mention of that as a username.

        1 vote
        1. [3]
          cloud_loud
          Link Parent
          Yeah I know but he was created this year. What I meant was i couldnā€™t believe anyone didnā€™t have it before this time. Which is why I used past tense.

          Yeah I know but he was created this year. What I meant was i couldnā€™t believe anyone didnā€™t have it before this time. Which is why I used past tense.

          1 vote
          1. [2]
            Algernon_Asimov
            Link Parent
            Past tense in English is tricky. I don't know the formal terms, but there's past tense and then there's past past tense. Like... "Noone had used douchebag as a username until recently." "Noone had...

            Which is why I used past tense.

            Past tense in English is tricky. I don't know the formal terms, but there's past tense and then there's past past tense.

            Like...

            • "Noone had used douchebag as a username until recently."

            • "Noone had ever used douchebag as a username."

            Without the qualifier, just a simple "no one had" can be interpreted multiple ways. And I obviously interpreted a different way than you intended. Sorry.

            1 vote
            1. Vito
              Link Parent
              Just in case you're curious about the name of the tense, it's past perfect in both examples (which is used to refer to the past of the past, going further into the past)

              Just in case you're curious about the name of the tense, it's past perfect in both examples (which is used to refer to the past of the past, going further into the past)

              2 votes
  11. [3]
    Curiouser
    Link
    I enjoy puzzling out names, too :) Mine's an Alice in Wonderland reference, and also descriptive. Its also sort of interchangeable with 'queer' in the book, which has certainly changed meanings...

    I enjoy puzzling out names, too :)

    Mine's an Alice in Wonderland reference, and also descriptive. Its also sort of interchangeable with 'queer' in the book, which has certainly changed meanings but fits me either way.

    10 votes
    1. cutmetal
      Link Parent
      Hey that's a good one! Curiouser is curiouser and curiouser šŸ˜‚

      Hey that's a good one! Curiouser is curiouser and curiouser šŸ˜‚

      4 votes
    2. Boojum
      Link Parent
      Lewis Carrol's a good source for names. :-)

      Lewis Carrol's a good source for names. :-)

      3 votes
  12. ThrowdoBaggins
    Link
    I was given this nickname by some friends who were frustrated that I would often only make mistakes late in the game for league of legends, and therefore ā€œthrow the gameā€ too often. This came at a...

    I was given this nickname by some friends who were frustrated that I would often only make mistakes late in the game for league of legends, and therefore ā€œthrow the gameā€ too often. This came at a time that I was never really happy with the online handles Iā€™d chosen for myself, so Iā€™ve stuck with it all these years!

    10 votes
  13. skybrian
    Link
    My username dates back to 1995 or so when I started work at a new job and the sysadmin asked me what username I wanted. I picked something that would be easier for people to remember than my last...

    My username dates back to 1995 or so when I started work at a new job and the sysadmin asked me what username I wanted. I picked something that would be easier for people to remember than my last name, but still associated with it.

    I wonder about nicknames that are hard to remember because they're very long and hard to spell or type. (For example, if you want to @ someone on Tildes.) I guess if you don't expect anyone else to remember it or type it then you might not think of that?

    9 votes
  14. Sodliddesu
    Link
    I don't really think of the usernames. I ended up using RES tagging back in the day to tag people with particularly insightful comments but I seldom, if ever, saw those users crop back up. I think...

    I don't really think of the usernames. I ended up using RES tagging back in the day to tag people with particularly insightful comments but I seldom, if ever, saw those users crop back up. I think our usernames, along with parasocial relationships and terminally online behaviors, lead to mini cults of personality and that gets in the way of independent thought.

    I don't begrudge people who do but I seldom check the usernames of those I'm conversing with.

    7 votes
  15. [5]
    Hobofarmer
    Link
    I notice a few come up often in the spaces I like to visit (Chocobean, eg) but otherwise don't think too much about them. As for my own name, I feel it's better to leave it to people's imagination...

    I notice a few come up often in the spaces I like to visit (Chocobean, eg) but otherwise don't think too much about them.

    As for my own name, I feel it's better to leave it to people's imagination - the true story behind it is rather boring.

    6 votes
    1. [4]
      cutmetal
      Link Parent
      Don't be bashful - I bet you have interesting stories from your time riding the rails and working the land šŸ˜…

      Don't be bashful - I bet you have interesting stories from your time riding the rails and working the land šŸ˜…

      3 votes
      1. Delgalar
        Link Parent
        What if he farmed crops of hobos? Or maybe it's like a trout farm, catch and release the young hobos back into the rail yards until they're all fully grown and crusty?

        What if he farmed crops of hobos? Or maybe it's like a trout farm, catch and release the young hobos back into the rail yards until they're all fully grown and crusty?

        3 votes
      2. [2]
        R1ch
        Link Parent
        He goes to tent to tent raising an army of homeless to retake San Francisco.

        He goes to tent to tent raising an army of homeless to retake San Francisco.

        3 votes
        1. boxer_dogs_dance
          Link Parent
          Retake? Certain neighborhoods are already taken.

          Retake? Certain neighborhoods are already taken.

          1 vote
  16. Pavouk106
    (edited )
    Link
    I don't notice usernames that much. Sometimes they catch my eye though. Once a user named xep426 (I believe) caught my attention due to it being misspelled one very famous code from one really...

    I don't notice usernames that much. Sometimes they catch my eye though. Once a user named xep426 (I believe) caught my attention due to it being misspelled one very famous code from one really great game. I asked the user if the nickname originates from what I think it does and got reply "If I didn't reply to you I would know more about you than you would know about me :-)" basically confirming I was right. I also picked uo a few here on Tildes but can't remember any on top of my head. Deimos is one cool nickname for creator of Tildes though!

    Oh... and you won't get mine if you don't go searching for me describing how it got to be my username (I did that a few times, at least once on that "once-was-a-great-site" starting with R and at least once here on Tildes. If you go looking that up, I suggest Tildes as that description has more background if I recall correctly.

    Feel free to share the link if you find that comment, no Rick roll please.

    EDIT: Did the work myself :-) https://tildes.net/~tildes/183w/why_did_you_select_your_username_for_tildes#comment-9k6s

    5 votes
  17. All_your_base
    Link
    I also enjoy seeing interesting usernames, especially if I can puzzle out it's meaning. I selected mine when it was reasonably fresh, and goes all the way back (I think) to the Netwalkers forum...

    I also enjoy seeing interesting usernames, especially if I can puzzle out it's meaning.

    I selected mine when it was reasonably fresh, and goes all the way back (I think) to the Netwalkers forum and open diary. I had it fairly consistently on many places including Fark, Digg, and that R place.

    5 votes
  18. [8]
    JCPhoenix
    Link
    I recognize people's nicknames, especially here on Tildes since this is a fairly small community (of active users). But I don't usually put any thought into how their owners came up with them....

    I recognize people's nicknames, especially here on Tildes since this is a fairly small community (of active users). But I don't usually put any thought into how their owners came up with them.

    This username is one I've been using for at least a decade. It's actually a combination of prior usernames. "JC" is an abbreviation for a character name I started using in the 2000s for some games and MMOs: Jaedan Chantes. I use this name in Eve Online and FFXIV, for example. "Phoenix" is from my probably oldest nickname that I started using around middle school, back in the late 90s: PhoenixFire.

    5 votes
    1. [6]
      phoenixrises
      Link Parent
      hello fellow phoenix! I've also used the Phoenix nickname for a very long time haha

      hello fellow phoenix! I've also used the Phoenix nickname for a very long time haha

      5 votes
      1. [3]
        aphoenix
        Link Parent
        I am happy to round out the triumvirate of phoenicians in this thread, though I came to this username in a much more pedestrian way than @phoenixrises and @JCPhoenix. I have been using it for...

        I am happy to round out the triumvirate of phoenicians in this thread, though I came to this username in a much more pedestrian way than @phoenixrises and @JCPhoenix. I have been using it for identification online and off for almost 45 years.

        5 votes
        1. [2]
          phoenixrises
          Link Parent
          it's good to know that I'm the youngest Phoenix here at least!

          it's good to know that I'm the youngest Phoenix here at least!

          4 votes
          1. JCPhoenix
            Link Parent
            Haha, nice. I like the sound of "Triumvirate of Phoenicians!" I think even if there are other phoenixes lurking about Tildes, we're still always the triumvirate. Nice to meet you and /u/aphoenix!

            Haha, nice. I like the sound of "Triumvirate of Phoenicians!" I think even if there are other phoenixes lurking about Tildes, we're still always the triumvirate.

            Nice to meet you and /u/aphoenix!

            4 votes
      2. [2]
        cfabbro
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        There is also another long-time user, @aphoenix, too! :)

        There is also another long-time user, @aphoenix, too! :)

        4 votes
        1. phoenixrises
          Link Parent
          Yes! I haven't seen them around recently but we've talked a couple of times! Hope they're doing well haha.

          Yes! I haven't seen them around recently but we've talked a couple of times! Hope they're doing well haha.

          3 votes
    2. Jedi
      Link Parent
      Before I read your comment, I was thinking of it like a take on JCPenney.

      Before I read your comment, I was thinking of it like a take on JCPenney.

      4 votes
  19. [2]
    R1ch
    Link
    I notice @vord in every thread I see. I don't really agree with them. It's always nice to see an opposing opinion. If I had to guess a vord is an alien of some type?

    I notice @vord in every thread I see. I don't really agree with them. It's always nice to see an opposing opinion.

    If I had to guess a vord is an alien of some type?

    5 votes
    1. vord
      Link Parent
      Vanilla World of Warcraft, generated a random character name for my warlock till I found one I liked. Twas my main till I quit at the beginning of WotLK. This name has persisted so long in part...

      Vanilla World of Warcraft, generated a random character name for my warlock till I found one I liked. Twas my main till I quit at the beginning of WotLK.

      This name has persisted so long in part because it's much harder to dig for than many other pseudonyms I've used before and since. I thank Jim Butcher for releasing Codex Alera around the same time with The Vord as one of the main antagonists. Has certainly helped in that vein.

      4 votes
  20. 0d_billie
    Link
    Until I joined Tildes i never really looked at usernames at all. The "username checks out" comments on Reddit always baffled me because who was taking the time to read the name of the commenter?...

    Until I joined Tildes i never really looked at usernames at all. The "username checks out" comments on Reddit always baffled me because who was taking the time to read the name of the commenter? On Tildes I'm much more likely to interact with the same people, so I tend to be more aware of them, but apart from names which have obvious references or meanings, I don't tend to put a huge amount of thought into them. That said, I find I am way more likely to misread usernames than other words. For example I thought @kfwyre was kwfyre for the longest time, and even when typing that out I started with @kw at first.

    My own username is basically just my real name. I chose Billie when I came out, and the initials of my surname are O and D, but to make it more internetty I use a 0 (zero) instead of the letter O. It has a fun bonus of looking like I'm zero-dimensional Billie, which I also like the sound of. It feels like a reminder that on the Internet you're rarely considered to be a whole, three dimensional individual.

    5 votes
  21. AdiosLunes
    Link
    I always enjoy seeing interesting usernames. Ones that are anonymous or simply actual names are not as fun as a sort of online nickname. In the last twenty-five years I've spent online, I've...

    I always enjoy seeing interesting usernames. Ones that are anonymous or simply actual names are not as fun as a sort of online nickname. In the last twenty-five years I've spent online, I've rotated through a handful, and they tend to mutate over the years with prefixes or suffixes or clipping bits off.

    4 votes
  22. [4]
    greyfire
    Link
    I just wanted something new to me for Tildes after years of using some old handles. It's short for Grey Ace Under Fire, because puns and stuff, and I use Grey a lot as a name anyway. It's really...

    I just wanted something new to me for Tildes after years of using some old handles. It's short for Grey Ace Under Fire, because puns and stuff, and I use Grey a lot as a name anyway. It's really grown on me, I think I'll probably wind up using it a lot.

    I do love a username with character!

    4 votes
    1. [3]
      Oslypsis
      Link Parent
      Grey Ace Under Fire made me think of Grace-sunder-fire. Audibly, anyway. Written out it doesn't have the same charm. Nice username ^Ļ‰^

      Grey Ace Under Fire made me think of Grace-sunder-fire. Audibly, anyway. Written out it doesn't have the same charm. Nice username ^Ļ‰^

      3 votes
      1. [2]
        greyfire
        Link Parent
        Hmmm, I'll have to play with that and see where it goes. Thanks! I'm not sure what to make of yours, though eclipsis comes to mind....

        Hmmm, I'll have to play with that and see where it goes. Thanks! I'm not sure what to make of yours, though eclipsis comes to mind....

        2 votes
        1. Oslypsis
          Link Parent
          Whenever I look at my name I think of solipsism. But in reality, it was just a mishmash of letters that I figured sounded cool. Lol

          Whenever I look at my name I think of solipsism. But in reality, it was just a mishmash of letters that I figured sounded cool. Lol

          3 votes
  23. [2]
    treeshateorcs
    Link
    mine is inspired by tolkien

    mine is inspired by tolkien

    4 votes
    1. Boojum
      Link Parent
      Given your name, it's amusing that there's also a Quickbeam in this thread. There must have been something in the air. ("I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air.")

      Given your name, it's amusing that there's also a Quickbeam in this thread.

      There must have been something in the air. ("I feel it in the water, I feel it in the earth, and I smell it in the air.")

      4 votes
  24. JuDGe3690
    Link
    Mine is rather prosaic, although maybe with a bit more applicability now that I'm in my final year of law school: It's technically my initials, plus my birthday. I just like the look of the...

    Mine is rather prosaic, although maybe with a bit more applicability now that I'm in my final year of law school: It's technically my initials, plus my birthday. I just like the look of the numbers and the word my initials conjure, though.

    4 votes
  25. Notcoffeetable
    (edited )
    Link
    I kind of wish it was a little easier to identify usernames on Tildes. It's such a prosocial platform some way to keying in on the username would be appreciated. I saw a suggestion to maybe just...

    I kind of wish it was a little easier to identify usernames on Tildes. It's such a prosocial platform some way to keying in on the username would be appreciated. I saw a suggestion to maybe just color code them a bit, have a variety of colors assigned to the theme palette and assign each user name one of the colors.

    That said I recognize the ones I see in the topics I frequent. I don't think too much about it but appreciate a creative username.

    Mine isn't too deep. When creating characters for video games I'll glance around the room and try different object names. After striking out on several objects I noted that I do not own a coffee table. NotCoffeeTable just ended up sticking over the years.

    4 votes
  26. BeardyHat
    Link
    I think I'm kind of bad at Tildes, because I tend to be a visual person when I'm associating things. So I have a general tendency to not even look at usernames when I'm chatting with people and...

    I think I'm kind of bad at Tildes, because I tend to be a visual person when I'm associating things. So I have a general tendency to not even look at usernames when I'm chatting with people and even if I do, I certainly won't remember them. I found it much easier on old forums when a person had a custom avatar, as I'd then see it, see the name and the association would become locked in my memory.

    Through sheer text, everyone may as well be anonymous to me and my dysfunctional brain.

    4 votes
  27. lou
    Link
    I'm a bit sad that I now know what @cfabbro stands for because it was so mysterious and I like a good mystery. But I am also glad that I know a little more about them. @deimos I learned was a...

    I'm a bit sad that I now know what @cfabbro stands for because it was so mysterious and I like a good mystery. But I am also glad that I know a little more about them.

    @deimos I learned was a stellar body. Which tells me they're a bit nerdy, but that goes without saying for Tildes.

    I distinctly remember thinking that someone called @douchebag could never be an actual douchebag, so they must be very nice.

    @kfwyre I have no idea but now "kfwyre" to me just means "excellent writer".

    @Algernon_Asimov is pretty transparent, and I love that we have someone that knows all about Isaac Asimov so I can ask stuff about him.

    Similar to @douchebag, I kinda think @patience_limited is actually very patient and forgiving.

    4 votes
  28. [8]
    patience_limited
    Link
    Most obscure literary reference ever, with an extra layer of "I should become a better person, someday."

    Most obscure literary reference ever, with an extra layer of "I should become a better person, someday."

    3 votes
    1. [2]
      kfwyre
      Link Parent
      Iā€™ve always liked theā€¦ word feeling? (is that a thing?) of your username. My brain expects the order to be ā€œlimited_patienceā€, but the reversal gives it an interesting quality similar to Girl,...

      Iā€™ve always liked theā€¦ word feeling? (is that a thing?) of your username. My brain expects the order to be ā€œlimited_patienceā€, but the reversal gives it an interesting quality similar to Girl, Interrupted or Patience Ltd. (like a corporation).

      4 votes
      1. patience_limited
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        I have also used "patienceltd" in the sense of being a limited liability impatient person. ;) For a while, Web forms for information harvesting were so ubiquitous that I just started filling...

        I have also used "patienceltd" in the sense of being a limited liability impatient person. ;)

        For a while, Web forms for information harvesting were so ubiquitous that I just started filling everything in as follows:

        First: Patience
        Last: Limited
        Street: 123 Myob Lane ("Myob" is another somewhat obscure Eric Frank Russell reference, but it's a spoiler.)

        I still get "Dear Patience" spam.

        2 votes
    2. [2]
      Boojum
      Link Parent
      Your's reads to me like a Culture ship name.

      Your's reads to me like a Culture ship name.

      3 votes
      1. patience_limited
        (edited )
        Link Parent
        That is a delightfully generous interpretation, thank you! I did give some thought to Mistake_Not.

        That is a delightfully generous interpretation, thank you! I did give some thought to Mistake_Not.

        2 votes
    3. [3]
      pencilshavings
      Link Parent
      Now I want to read "a door into the ocean." Sounds very much up my alley

      Now I want to read "a door into the ocean." Sounds very much up my alley

      2 votes
      1. [2]
        patience_limited
        Link Parent
        All of Joan Slonczewski's work is worth a read, for imaginative world-building if nothing else. She's heavily into ethical treatment of sentience, so if that strongly moralizing angle isn't to...

        All of Joan Slonczewski's work is worth a read, for imaginative world-building if nothing else. She's heavily into ethical treatment of sentience, so if that strongly moralizing angle isn't to your taste, you may not enjoy it as much as I did.

        1 vote
  29. [2]
    SirNut
    Link
    I'd be curious to know what you think of mine šŸ˜…

    I'd be curious to know what you think of mine šŸ˜…

    3 votes
  30. Lapbunny
    Link
    "cutmetal" makes me think you went with your Mega Man 2 starting route.

    "cutmetal" makes me think you went with your Mega Man 2 starting route.

    3 votes
  31. Algernon_Asimov
    Link
    Obviously not enough to get his name right! :P

    I too love Flowers for Algernon and Isaac Asmiov.

    Obviously not enough to get his name right! :P

    3 votes
  32. [5]
    hamstergeddon
    Link
    Curious to see what those who donā€™t immediately get the reference think of my username. I sort of explain it in my bio. As for the usernames of others, aside from the folks on the MC server (since...

    Curious to see what those who donā€™t immediately get the reference think of my username. I sort of explain it in my bio.

    As for the usernames of others, aside from the folks on the MC server (since I see the names constantly), and a few prolific folks here I donā€™t really notice usernames often. In the ancient days of forums I relied heavily on avatars and signatures to recognize people.

    3 votes
    1. [3]
      AgnesNutter
      Link Parent
      Yours is obviously about an evil hamster trying to create Armageddon

      Yours is obviously about an evil hamster trying to create Armageddon

      4 votes
      1. [2]
        hamstergeddon
        Link Parent
        Basically! It's the name of an episode of Invader Zim, which was a cartoon about an alien very poorly trying to conquer the earth while posing as a child. One of his attempts is to plant a device...

        Basically! It's the name of an episode of Invader Zim, which was a cartoon about an alien very poorly trying to conquer the earth while posing as a child. One of his attempts is to plant a device on the class pet hamster that augments it and causes it to grow massive. Zim's plan is to use it to conquer the earth Godzilla-style, but quickly loses control of it. And for some reason the hamster's name is "peepee", so you have zim running around demanding that "peepee" obeys him. Which was the highest level of comedy for me in middle school when I first saw the episode. And if I'm being honest the absurdity of that and it somehow making it to air on Nickelodeon is still pretty funny.

        But for the record I do not endorse the use of class pets, genetically modified or otherwise, to meet one's goals of world domination.

        6 votes
        1. AgnesNutter
          Link Parent
          The book Iā€™m reading to my kids at the moment has an evil hamster trying to cause Armageddon too! (The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey - strongly recommend to anyone who has smaller children). Not...

          The book Iā€™m reading to my kids at the moment has an evil hamster trying to cause Armageddon too! (The Bad Guys series by Aaron Blabey - strongly recommend to anyone who has smaller children). Not quite the same as your story, but close enough :)

          4 votes
  33. [3]
    Moogles
    Link
    I love that I could pretty much take dibs on any username without symbols or numbers. I could have probably grabbed a first name like @Sabrina or @Greg. Thatā€™s not my name, but it would be kind of...

    I love that I could pretty much take dibs on any username without symbols or numbers. I could have probably grabbed a first name like @Sabrina or @Greg. Thatā€™s not my name, but it would be kind of funny to me. Makes me wonder if thereā€™s anything like @Disney, @Eminem or @Morty thatā€™s free.

    3 votes
    1. [2]
      mycketforvirrad
      Link Parent
      Poor @Greg! They're after your name mate... That's not on!

      Poor @Greg! They're after your name mate... That's not on!

      2 votes
      1. Greg
        Link Parent
        Just so long as nobodyā€™s proposing cutting the name in half and giving two letters to each of us I think weā€™re all good!

        Just so long as nobodyā€™s proposing cutting the name in half and giving two letters to each of us I think weā€™re all good!

        2 votes
  34. Clabsmodan
    Link
    I notice some usernames. If I read a comment that makes me think or laugh, I look to see who wrote it. And I've started to associate some with names I've seen before (like kfwyre or Deimos or...

    I notice some usernames. If I read a comment that makes me think or laugh, I look to see who wrote it. And I've started to associate some with names I've seen before (like kfwyre or Deimos or cfabbro).

    As for mine, the story's not that exciting. My roomies in college (my first time around in college) gave me the name by mashing mine up with a character from a popular (at the time) video game.

    3 votes
  35. pete_the_paper_boat
    Link
    Yeah, this username is some real deep poetry.

    Yeah, this username is some real deep poetry.

    3 votes
  36. [3]
    Oslypsis
    Link
    I'm curious if you think of what I think of when I read my username.

    I'm curious if you think of what I think of when I read my username.

    2 votes
    1. [2]
      Noox
      Link Parent
      My brain goes through the following whenever I read your username (including in the Minecraft server): Ah, reference to Olympus Oh no, a reference to Oslo Nope I actually have no idea what it's a...

      My brain goes through the following whenever I read your username (including in the Minecraft server):

      1. Ah, reference to Olympus
      2. Oh no, a reference to Oslo
      3. Nope I actually have no idea what it's a reference to
        .......
      4. [Just now] maybe a reference to an ellipse?
      1 vote
      1. Oslypsis
        Link Parent
        Whenever streamers read my name aloud, they often call me ellipses! Lol. But when I see my name, the word 'solipsism' comes to mind, but I never meant to have it sound or look related to it. It...

        Whenever streamers read my name aloud, they often call me ellipses! Lol. But when I see my name, the word 'solipsism' comes to mind, but I never meant to have it sound or look related to it. It was just a bunch of sounds I thought sounded cool.

        2 votes
  37. CrazyProfessor02
    Link
    A lot of times I can get the reference for their names, if there is one. And it is a lot of fun to see what people call themselves in the internet. Or if they have a fun backstory for their name,...

    A lot of times I can get the reference for their names, if there is one. And it is a lot of fun to see what people call themselves in the internet. Or if they have a fun backstory for their name, it is fun to read why they call themselves that.

    2 votes
  38. graphmeme
    Link
    thinking of a username is the hardest thing to do! actually, naming anything is one of the hardest things for me to do, that's why I named my kids foo and bar :) This username was the first bit of...

    thinking of a username is the hardest thing to do! actually, naming anything is one of the hardest things for me to do, that's why I named my kids foo and bar :)

    This username was the first bit of wordplay that popped into my head: graphene + meme = graphmeme.

    2 votes
  39. elcuello
    Link
    I just like necks

    I just like necks

    2 votes
  40. PossiblyBipedal
    Link
    I see you like to cut metal. I normally don't pay attention to usernames too. I used RES for the longest time, so rather than looking at the names, I sometimes notice I've upvoted or downvoted a...

    I see you like to cut metal.

    I normally don't pay attention to usernames too. I used RES for the longest time, so rather than looking at the names, I sometimes notice I've upvoted or downvoted a person several number of times and be like "Hmm. This guy must have been a dick."

    But on Tildes I do. I guess because it's a smaller site.

    2 votes
  41. bratling
    Link
    Iā€™m curious. Ping! (my username started as a semi-joke based on the username of someone I dated in the late 90ā€™s. It stuck. You can find me on many of the primary social networks, and a few web...

    Iā€™m curious. Ping!

    (my username started as a semi-joke based on the username of someone I dated in the late 90ā€™s. It stuck. You can find me on many of the primary social networks, and a few web forums, using the same one. Iā€™m of the generation that kept names consistent across platforms. There are a few bratlings out there that arenā€™t me now, but for the first couple decades they were all me, as far as I can tell.)

    2 votes
  42. artvandelay
    Link
    Like many others, I don't really pay much attention to usernames on here, though I do pay attention to a few like cfabbro and Deimos. My username here is actually completely different from what I...

    Like many others, I don't really pay much attention to usernames on here, though I do pay attention to a few like cfabbro and Deimos.

    My username here is actually completely different from what I normally do. With the exception of my old Reddit account (which has its own unique story!), my username on social media platforms is pretty easily traced back to me. As I've started moving away from social media, I've been wanting my name attached to things less and less. I finally realized the value of the anonymity of the internet. So when I came to Tildes, I thought I'd make it the first one where my name isn't attached. I've been a life-long Seinfeld fan so I thought I'd use one of the famous made-up names from the show for my character. Since George and Kramer are my favorite characters, it was between Art Vandelay and Dr. Van Nostrand. The former stood out to me more so it became my username.

    2 votes