First Names

[Clara]

Hi everyone!

 

How come most people don't call each other by their first names on the Internet? I guess people have to worry about privacy and everything, but I don't think it could hurt anything to know our first names. There are probably hundreds or thousands of other people with the same first name as you. I think it sounds kinda weird calling people by their usernames. I would never let anyone know my real identity, but nobody would know if they only knew my first name.

 

My first name is Clara, but you probably already knew that somehow...

[ydoaPs]

well, you already gave one reason(so many people with the same name)

 

they don't know the people's name

 

many people call others by last name

 

privacy

 

identity theft

 

...

[Klaynos]

I just use Klaynos for historic purposes, most people who I talk to regularly on the net call me Ed same as people irl...

[ydoaPs]

i think there is a thread about people's names. iirc, it has a poll too

[J'Dona]

Actually, being able to choose your own username on forums and such is one of my favourite things about the internet. To me there is something special about a name you assign to yourself, rather than one which was assigned to you (assuming it wasn't just a random set of keystrokes ... the username, that is!). Given names tend to carry more emotional attachment, but not the same meaning as one which you chose yourself.

 

I don't have any problem with people actually knowing my first name (it's Jesse), but I'd be disturbed if someone insisted on using it, and maybe a little indignant. It's all personal preference, though.

 

In a way it's a form of role-playing, which can be true of the avatar as well. Of course, it may not help if the things they describe aren't related to you at all; J'Dona sounds feminine when I am actually a male, and I'm not really a grey alien with a glass of beer in my hand, just as I'm sure you aren't Amy from Sonic. But they're touches of personality, or maybe references to things we like, which can help to set us apart in a more personal way than, funnily enough, a given name and a self-portrait would. We didn't choose those, after all; they don't reflect our personality quite so much.

 

Avatars in particular are very telling. Sayonara, for example, used to use an avatar of Invader ZIM because he aspires to rule to Earth. dave used to use one of a small fish because, presumably, he is fond of water which is contained in glass tanks. blike and YT2095 use old pictures of themselves because they think they looked better back then.

[Dak]

iv always felt that people should have more unique names -- i mean, the idea of getting names out of a book, a list of names which have already been used a zillion times already, is kinda odd... someones name should be unique, i feel.

 

So i chose dak, cos its unique and isnt in common use, then found out that it is in common use (its short for dakerty, or something) but it was too late then.

 

anyway, my real name is booooooooooooooooring. Even in real life i usually go by a nick-name of some kind (usually 'bitch', for some odd reason)

 

i think, tho, its more done out of accepted practice: most people use pseudonyms, so most new people chose pseudonyms aswell.

 

btw, are internet pseudonims real nouns? should they take capitals?

[Bettina]

Avatars in particular are very telling. Sayonara, for example, used to use an avatar of Invader ZIM because he aspires to rule to Earth. dave used to use one of a small fish because, presumably, he is fond of water which is contained in glass tanks. blike and YT2095 use old pictures of themselves because they think they looked better back then.

 

Hahahaha.....that was kool...

 

Bettina (real first Italian name)

[Clara]

Yeah, I don't think forums should make anyone say what their real name is. If someone doesn't want anyone to know, that's ok. I personally like my real name. I think Clara is a pretty name, but not very many people have it. I don't really know anyone else with my name, but if I'm sure there are others out there.

 

I actually hate it when people just call other people by their last name. Last names are usually kinda boring, and sometimes a little silly. Using first names seems friendly to me, but I call people whatever they want to be called.

 

I'm not really a grey alien with a glass of beer in my hand, just as I'm sure you aren't Amy from Sonic.

 

Yeah, I think the avatars are a great way to express your personality. I think Amy is really cool. She isn't one of those girls that get in trouble, and wait for some guy to save her. She usually likes to be independent, and take care of the bad guys by herself. Some people say that Samus is cooler, but I don't think so. Samus doesn't really have much of a personality. Amy has a strong personality, and she also really cares about other people and animals. I think she is a good example of how people should be.

 

I also think the signatures are a good way to express your personality. Mine may seem a little strange, but it kinda says what type of a person I really am.

[AzurePhoenix]

My name is Kay. My username is what it is because Azure is shorter than Sapphire, and I really, really like phoenixes (Phoeni?) (never mind that I live in Phoenix)

[ydoaPs]

SapphicPheonix...

 

 

i'm Nick and i'm an alcoholic. damn, wrong thread.

[In My Memory]

For me, getting to know people by their usernames and avatars is just like getting to know them on a first name basis. I know for a fact, if I met most of the people from this board in person, I'd call them by their username. And when I read posts, I imagine the person writing the post looks like their avatar (I like when people use pictures of themselves, because when it feels more like the poster is speaking on a more personal level).