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Online Handle VS Real Name
Namelessted \| 12:18 PM on 01.04.2008	50 comments

I have had this subject on my mind for many months now in relation with destructoid. Is it better for a person to use an online name or their real name on destructoid, whether a main editor or just a community member? What do you guys think?

Personally, I would rather see people using a nick name or an online name. It took me four days to figure out that Jonathon Holmes was actually Tron Knotts in disguise. And then I wondered why he woudl choose to not stay with his Tron Knotts name. Why change than name by which so many people already identify you? Is it in an attempt to use your name to gain credit in hopes of finding a job at another publication? I just don't understand.

I think this topic has mixed views among the staff at dtoid. Now, I don't want to negative towards anybody and I don't want this to turn into some sort of massive argument, I just want to understand the purpose behind using your real name serves over using a nick name.

It is just that I have no idea who the hell Jonathon Holmes is, but i do know who Tron Knotts is. Could his name at least be something like Jonathan "Tron Knotts" Holmes, because then I would know who he is. A couple of staff do use the mix of both names like Hamsa CTZ Aziz.

I mean, the name "Niero" isn't actually his real name. I don't want to spend any more time pointing out who on the staff uses a nick name and who doesn't, I just want everybody to think about it and let me know your thoughts on the subject.

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45 comments | showing # 1 to 45

Fuzzy

Most of my close friends call me Fuzzy in everyday situations. College nicknames never die.

I tend to prefer nicknames as well, or at least a variant of the real name. As I get to know people better, I'll learn their real name. Except for Joe Burling. That guy should go by Joe "Muthafuckin" Burling.

I just wish I had used Fuzzy (or some variant) as my XBL GT. Astrolivin confuses the shit out people when I'm online.

balth

Isn't Jonathon Holmes like the first popular porn star?

I know Balth isn't my real name, and for good reason. I don't want stalker girls from the PSN to drive to my house and text that they're going to rape me.

Wait. Nevermind. Mark Padgett is my real name, my address is 714 West 25th Street, Lawrence, KS 66046. My phone number is 785.331.3792.

Why are you looking at me like that?

that is all.

Bob Muir

Honestly, I'm fine with whatever sounds natural. "Nex" worked because Earnest Cavelli (sp?) was awkward. At the same time, I realize the need to be able to identify your real self with your work; that's why the compromise of putting the nickname in as a middle name works perfectly, in my opinion.

I know that if I met Dtoid people (including staff) with nicknames in real life, I probably would still call them by their nicks, just from all the time I've spent on Dtoid.

Also, what happened to at least introducing editors? Giving us a little background? We shouldn't have to matlock information about them and discover embarrassing movies and photos. :)

MaxVest

@Necros: seconded. I really think that would cut down on new editor drama, more than expecting people like me to "grow up" or "exercise tact and decency" or "stop touching that child".

Neonie

As far as my friends and aquaintences are concerned, Neonie is my real name. As no matter how many times they ask me what my real name is, I always give the same answer: Why does it matter? Neonie is a name, I use it, therfore it's my name.

Niero

I'm weird about online privacy so I always use a pen name; especially since I piss people off on a regular basis online :) Niero is actually a childhood nickname though; my friends have been calling me that since I was in elementary school. The variants are Niero Marimbero (for you spanish kids) and Niero Brain.

bloodylip

I still vote that unstoppablejuggernaut should go by Razor Ramon.

topgeargorilla

I am absolutaly for real names when you are writing professional and legitimate journalism.

When you want to pump up your portfolio, nothing is worse than having some silly handle like Topgeargorilla over your real name.

I've talked to Nick about it, and it is just a sign of professionalism. Fans sites use handles. Journalists do not.

ShadowXOR

Yes, I think editors should be given a better introduction, that would stop a lot of the craziness. For example, we don't know anything about Dr. Boa and he hasn't posted for so long I actually forgot about him...and he just joined recently!

As for me, I use ShadowXOR everywhere online, and stick with my real name in life. If I'm writing articles...I'm kind of torn as to which I would want to use. I guess having my nickname quoted in the middle would be the best compromise.

Yashoki

I agree with ShadowXOR even thought i personally dont like him, like who's this Analog Pidgin guy? Is he even an editor? BRING BACK GREGOR!

Tragic Hero

Gregor posted on my blog yesterday about hating Dota. Does that amount to something?

But yeah Tragic Hero is just my gaming handle. It kind of fits well since whenever I play anything multiplayer I own and then "Tragically" blow it at the last minute. It just works better than having people use my real name.

blehman

I agree with bloodylip.

And topgeargorilla. It's a professionalism thing.

Technophile

Since I work in community, I have two handles that I try very hard to keep separate because I don't want what I do "personally" online to affect what I do "professionally" online.

So, while I'm a little more open about my real life stuff with Technophile, I do everything I can to hide all that with my work handle because I don't want some of my stalkers actually able to stalk me.

I'm sure if ones internet matlockery skills were strong they could figure it out and be horribly disappointed in the process.

MaxVest

@ShadowXOR: I think Dr. Boa was the one exception to the "surprise editor" rule. I remember Niero giving a little blurb saying that the writer had been working in games for more than 15 years or something, which I liked reading.

LordRegulus

I use the name Regulus (or LordRegulus if someone beats me to the punch) in non-professional situations, but if it's cereal business, then of course I use my real name. I haven't gone out of my way to conceal my identity - I may even have signed a few of my cblogs with it. Being Greek, though, my last name is easily mispronounced/misspelled, so naming myself after a boss from Bomberman 64 seemed to be a good compromise.

That being said, the banner above my cblog pretty clearly explains my feelings on Internet anonymity. I keep a picture of myself up there because telling people who I am keeps me from staying stupid shit that I might regret later.

LarkOhiya

Ted has good points. but we all call atheistium Lauren in ventrilo. Charlie is charlie. but topher changed from hushgush...which is sad :( course people still call me Lark, but my normal names pretty generic. some people call dyslixsac "mikey" and thats not his real name NOR his online screen name. regardless people call each other what they want. learn to live with it and tell people your real name RICHARD!

Cowzilla3

I know that sometimes I wish my nick wasn't Cowzilla3 but that is for proffesional reasons since I refer to my Destructoid blog when applying for writing jobs and such and Cowzilla3 doesn't seem veyr proffesional. If you are applying to online bloggin writing gigs its fine but for more mainstream writing jobs it seems a bit childish and goofy. Thus if I was to get a front page gig at Dtoid I would change my nick to Razak like I did over at megatonik.com, it just seems more proffesional. I don't know if thats why Mr. Holmes did it but that would be my logic. Of course Cowzilla is a bit harder to pass off as cool in any situation than Tron Knotts.

Atlas

Jack "Wiisucks" Klassen, future Destructoid Editor.

Atlas

Also, I hate how people put numbers on the end of their name! It is already taken, don't add 2477 to the end of it! Atlas653 just doesn't feel right. Be original.

BS3 Owner

@ Atlas

Don't forget Dprime.

: P

@ CBlog

Do I really have to explain my Handle?

Steel Squirrel

My online handle is always larger than my real life one.
We're talking about penises right?

Atlas

I don't know Dprimes real name.

I always find it how rappers like 50 cent and Snoop Dogg actually have names like Norman Oswald and George Stanley.

ShadowXOR

I agree with Yashoki even thought I personally don't like him. Like who's this Analog Pidgin guy? Is he even an editor? BRING BACK GREGOR!

velcroman

die, Ted.

Rockvillian

My handle has a handle.

-rocky

itemforty

Yeah that throws me off Rockyvillian. It makes me sad.

itemforty

^^^Not really

I understand both points here. I mean, regardless of the delivery method, Destructoid is still a site that provides video game NEWS, so I understand wanting to keep the pseudonyms to a minimum, but like Ted pointed out there is a lot of respect and comfort riding on a screen name. Well, except mine, since it has degraded to a non-sequitur that relates me to an inventory in the souls of all laughing children.

ZekeThePlumber

I'm not a real plumber. Don't tell anyone though.

Eschatos

I like my handle, but no one ever pronounces it correctly. And in RL everyone just calls me my real name: Matt.

Zenith

I thought people use pseudonyms or whatever because its the only chance to get away with calling yourself something odd and amusing.
and for all of the proper literary reasons of cause..

atheistium

I use a username because my name is boring..
I mean "Lauren Wainwright" who the fuck is that bitch anyway!?!?!

But yeah I had no idea who the fuck Josh Holmes was.. wait.. josh?

Technophile

@atheistium

Lauren Wainwright sounds to me like you should be fantastically rich, but live a life of daring do and adventure.

like batman...or batgirl in your case.

Spartacus

I use my real name. See my blog for more info.

vvv FOR CEREAL vvv
Most people call me by my real name in real life, but it really doesn't matter to me weather or not you use your real name. Just have a handle that doesn't suck, and PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't put numbers at the end.

atheistium

@Technophile
Or like tomb raider?
I want to be rich and run around and go crazy adventuring.

Maybe someone should write a book about me!

cbre88x

My online handle contains my name..you just have to actually know my name to understand.

Dynamic Sheep

I like the user names, but sometimes they're hard to come up with. I mean, "Who the fuck is Jim Sterling!?" never wouldn't have been the same if it was "Who the fuck is Malcolm McMonocle!?"

Hamza CTZ Aziz

When I used CyberneticTigerZ and all my old online handles, it was because I was afraid to use my real name for various reason (future jobs, people thinking calling me a "raghead" and all that shit). Plus, I've never really enjoyed the whole Ham confussion. But being apart of this community made me realize I had nothing to be afraid of or have a fear of hiding from anyone. I'm proud to be apart of this so I wanted people to know my real name. This also applies to my avatar now. I want people to see my face, but I still want Tako King to be a part of my avatar in some way.

Ascythopicism

Shut up, raghead.

Justice

I use handles so that when people google my name I don't come up

I don't want my life on the internet

Topher Cantler

I use my real name so Ted can send me checks.

Samit Sarkar

Well, I do have my real name in my profile, as well as contact information (no, not my cell number). I think it makes sense to use your real name from a professionalism standpoint if you�re actually writing journalistic stuff that you want to later be able to point to and say, �I wrote that,� without someone questioning whether or not it was actually you behind the screen name �ballinbabychickin0869�. But when I met everyone at BlipFest, we all went by our Dtoid usernames (except the editors who use their real names on the site) � it was just easier that way, because I�m sure no one on Destructoid would know who I was (or how to pronounce my name) if I said, �Hey, it�s Samit Sarkar!�

Virtualgirl

I don't know how it happened but as many people use my real name now as my online name. I just started going by

Meagan "Virtualgirl" VanBurkleo now to avoid confusion...

I don't really care what name people use, but I agree, when they switch, it is UBER confusing!

tehdopefish

Perhaps if you are planning on making the switch from handle to real name, you should ease the transition by first adopting the "middle name in quotations" style, even if you plan on eventually phasing it out all together.

If there is one thing I have learned in my time on the internets, it's that we are all very afraid of change.

Tubatic

yeah. journalism, and such. You guys don't need to know who David Bell is.

Wait . . . am I doing it right?

Samson

Well like many others here, I have been and will always be Samson to my friends. When creating my gamertag for live, the idea of adding anything to or removing from "Samson" was met with outrage. Sometimes people and their online name is one in the same. My real name is Samual or Sam forshort so its not really a strech from it. most of the people I know go by their screen name and there usually a story behind it.

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