# Doper user names and their origins **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 13, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055 "2001-11-13T03:23:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Civil\_Defense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Civil\_Defense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Civil_Defense)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/1 "2001-11-13T03:23:25Z")
There are a lot of Dopers who have user names that I’m interested in learning the origins of. For example, **MagicalSilverKey** , where did your name come from? **GingerOfTheNorth** is an easy one - she’s from Canada! Eh? And **MrCynical** - I bet your name is attributed to the fact that, hey, you’re cynical! **iampunha** is an easy one, too- you’re a punha! Whatever that is. So some user names are easier to decipher than others. But there are some really mystifying and cryptic ones out there. Let’s explore! [sub][sub]muah![/sub][/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Cynical](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee59a6/32.png) [@Mr.Cynical](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Cynical)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/2 "2001-11-13T03:24:36Z")
Well, mine is claimed by many to be a misnomer, but I find it to be terribly accurate. ---
**Author:** ![Searching\_For\_Truth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Searching\_For\_Truth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Searching_For_Truth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/3 "2001-11-13T03:32:55Z")
When I considered joining the SDMB, I was torn over what to use as my “handle”…I wanted something that expressed my curiousity and yearning for knowledge, something that sounded pretty 🙂 and that had “meaning”. Something that showed my idealistic optimistic nature in the regards that I believe that I will find what I’m looking for. And long names are kind of nice. Tada. That’s me. -swivels spotlight on **Civil Defense** and shoves microphone under his nose- How about YOU, sir? ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/4 "2001-11-13T03:35:33Z")
[Zen](http://www.ofoto.com/PhotoView.jsp?UV=531280014346_43848275203&US=0&collid=23214932203&photoid=95744932203). ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/5 "2001-11-13T03:40:13Z")
A life in theatre. ---
**Author:** ![TheOtherOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@TheOtherOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOtherOne)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/6 "2001-11-13T03:46:31Z")
Ummm…The Grateful Dead? It’s just the first thing that popped into my head when I i signed up. ---
**Author:** ![\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/_/b2d939/32.png) [@\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/_Sky)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/7 "2001-11-13T03:47:10Z")
When I was married, we had a collection of celestial things. The first screen name was on AOL, and Skystruck was the only thing that was available. A combination of being awe struck of the sky. Well, I am divorced, but kept my email address (ex was lame and never used computer anyway) so, I shortened it on the few Ubb’s I go to. Sky sounds femine enough for me I suppose. Boring Story I must admit. I have thought about changeing it, but would not know to what…_sigh_ ---
**Author:** ![Forbin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5e9695/32.png) [@Forbin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Forbin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/8 "2001-11-13T03:54:24Z")
Mine is from an old sci-fi movie called,“The Forbin Project”. It’s about a supercomputer,invented by Mr.Forbin. ---
**Author:** ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/9 "2001-11-13T04:13:39Z")
[The origin of the Boobs](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?postid=1413571#post1413571) ---
**Author:** ![TheOtherOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dbc845/32.png) [@TheOtherOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheOtherOne)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/10 "2001-11-13T04:17:41Z")
Someone actually started calling me **Sky** the other night. Does it really sound feminine? I guess I’ll have to take that up with her, seeing as how I’m a guy and all…hmmmm **Forbin** reminds me of a character in a Phish song…Good ole colonol Forbin… [sub]wow, what a useless post![/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/11 "2001-11-13T04:19:29Z")
I’m into anal sex. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Mick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/838e76/32.png) [@The\_Mick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Mick)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/12 "2001-11-13T04:19:45Z")
my heritage. Who’da thunk it? ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/13 "2001-11-13T04:19:53Z")
Well, which planet are _you_ from? ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/14 "2001-11-13T04:21:46Z")
Mine is a typo…I really do know how to spell Reader. ---
**Author:** ![Jonno](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jonno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonno)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/15 "2001-11-13T04:23:34Z")
I know I’m new, I’m answering anyway. 😃 I’m a cowboy(mostly at heart currently, not having the room for horses) who loves celtic design, music, just about anything along those lines. A friend noticed the contradiction in my clothing one day, the hat and boots and wranglers, and the celtic design shirt and belt buckle…the rest is history, or would be if anyone cared enough to right it down. CC ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/16 "2001-11-13T04:31:29Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Civil Defense \* > **iampunha** is an easy one, too- you’re a punha! Whatever that is. I am NOT! Le Sigh. When I was quite small (2, maybe 2.5), I had a Paddington Bear doll. I could not at this point say “Paddington Bear from Darkest Peru”, so I said “punha”, only more like “p’nha”. My first email address ([punha@hotmail.com](mailto:punha@hotmail.com)) I wanted to be something nobody else would **ever** think of. And who, really, has ever thought of “punha” as a screen name? Hotmail bites hairy ass pustules, so I switched before long and went, after a while, to netscape email. For some reason, [punha@netscape.net](mailto:punha@netscape.net) was taken. Don’t ask me why. So I thought to myself "I am [punha"@hotmail.com](mailto:punha%22@hotmail.com), and I forewent the spaces. I like to keep things simple when I can. So I try to keep the same Screen Name everywhere I go (exceptions being espn and AIM). So when I signed up for the dope I became iampunha. People usually just call me: **’punha 'pun Pun Punha Poon Punny Poona Puhna** Originally a few called me “iam”, but they graduated to punha after a while. So that’s (again . . .good gravy, don’t you know how to do a freakin’ search, man?;)) how I became **iampunha**. ---
**Author:** ![iampunha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/74df32/32.png) [@iampunha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iampunha)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/17 "2001-11-13T04:32:37Z")
I’m thinking, incidentally, of changing my screen name to one of the following: punha 'punha iamnotacoder Anyone have a preference? ---
**Author:** ![Earthling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/90db22/32.png) [@Earthling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earthling)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/18 "2001-11-13T04:42:42Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CelticCowboy \* > \*\*I’m a cowboy(mostly at heart currently, not having the room for horses) who loves celtic design, music, just about anything along those lines. A friend noticed the contradiction in my clothing one day, the hat and boots and wranglers, and the celtic design shirt and belt buckle…the rest is history, or would be if anyone cared enough to right it down. > > CC \*\* There is no contradiction. Traditional cowboy music has Celtic origins. In fact, there’s a band named [Cowboy Celtic](http://www.cowboyceltic.com/biography.htm). I heard’em live; they’re good. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/19 "2001-11-13T04:43:03Z")
My name is quite simply, really. It comes from **shibb** , Ancient Greek, meaning to “shake your money maker” and **O’Leth** , Gaelic for “son of Leth”. [sub]hehehe, I told them we already got one…[/sub] ---
**Author:** ![Dave\_Stewart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Dave\_Stewart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dave_Stewart)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055/20 "2001-11-13T04:43:15Z")
I like “'punha”. As for my user name… Res ipsa loquitur. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/doper-user-names-and-their-origins/93055.md?page=2)