# Email address ideas for common names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375 "2012-05-28T20:54:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![McFancyPants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@McFancyPants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/McFancyPants)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/1 "2012-05-28T20:54:53Z")
I have an absurdly common name and literally every combination of my first, last and middle initial are taken. I want to avoid using numbers and try to have a somewhat professional email address. Not for job hunting but in general. Preference is to use Gmail. Also I cant buy my own domain because I don’t have a credit card and even if I did, my name is taken in .com and a few others I believe I was thinking about using a prefix or suffix… so _**[.firstname.lastname@gmail.com](mailto:.firstname.lastname@gmail.com) or firstname.lastname.**_@gmail.com Anyone have ideas to fill in the blanks? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RaftPeople](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@RaftPeople](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RaftPeople)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/2 "2012-05-28T20:58:05Z")
Add your initials at the end? [John.Smith.JS@blahblah.com](mailto:John.Smith.JS@blahblah.com) ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/3 "2012-05-28T21:05:06Z")
So I guess John.Smith.monkey69@domain.tld is right out? ---
**Author:** ![EmilyG](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emilyg/32/364_2.png) [@EmilyG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmilyG)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/4 "2012-05-28T21:11:41Z")
When signing up for a Youtube account, most permutations of my name were taken. I tried firstnamelastname, firstinitiallastname, firstnamelastinitial, etc. I finally settled on “emilygclarinet”, emily being my fist name, g being my last-name initial, and clarinet being the instrument I play. Not sure if this helps. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/5 "2012-05-28T21:23:26Z")
Either add your profession (garbageman.john.smith) or add a made up name (john.obadiah.smith) such as your father’s name, his middle name, your pet’s name (hint: john.mrsfluffybuns.smith is not professional sounding) etc. If somebody asks, you can either explain it, or just say it’s a name you don’t use. ---
**Author:** ![missbunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/76d3ee/32.png) [@missbunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missbunny)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/6 "2012-05-28T21:44:21Z")
thejohnsmith@gmail therealjohnsmith@gmail officialjohnsmith@gmail (if you don’t mind being viewed as high-falutin’) smithjohnsmith@gmail z.johnsmith@gmail a.johnsmith@gmail onejohnsmith@gmail johnsmithatlanta@gmail (substitute the appropriate city) johnsmithGA@gmail (ditto) jsinatlanta@gmail (ditto) jsfromgeorgia@gmail (ditto) ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/7 "2012-05-28T22:05:42Z")
One I’ve seen a fair bit on complaint forms that I process recently is [noparse]personname.is@domain.com[/noparse] So something like [noparse]johnsmith.is@hotmail.com[/noparse] or [noparse]jon\_g\_smith\_is@gmail.com[/noparse]. ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/8 "2012-05-28T22:16:56Z")
My main address is a reasonably obscure, emotionally neutral English word that personally appeals to me, was available without numbers, and isn’t too hard to spell. YMMV. ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Theo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sri\_Theo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sri_Theo)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/9 "2012-05-28T23:57:02Z")
A domain name doesn’t have to be your name. Just choose anything then you can create “[yourname@domainname.com](mailto:yourname@domainname.com)” still easy to remember and write down. My suggestion would be to try the first two letters of each name plus your date of birth. It should be short and easy to remember. ---
**Author:** ![Taomist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@Taomist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taomist)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/10 "2012-05-29T00:19:20Z")
> [@Sierra\_Indigo](#): > > One I’ve seen a fair bit on complaint forms that I process recently is [noparse]personname.is@domain.com[/noparse] > > So something like [noparse]johnsmith.is@hotmail.com[/noparse] or [noparse]jon\_g\_smith\_is@gmail.com[/noparse]. I like this idea. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/11 "2012-05-30T01:45:41Z")
My friend tacked “mail.” in front of his e-mail address. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/12 "2012-05-30T01:57:24Z")
FancyPants, What’s your profession? Mine, in English, would read FirstnameLastnameEsq AT gmail com ---
**Author:** ![Farmer\_Jane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Farmer\_Jane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Farmer_Jane)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/13 "2012-05-30T02:57:41Z")
Try “Q” as a middle initial. ---
**Author:** ![efyou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4da419/32.png) [@efyou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/efyou)\ **Post date:** [May 30, 2012, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/14 "2012-05-30T03:09:14Z")
message your name @gmail.com ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_Tightlips](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/57b2e6/32.png) [@Joey\_Tightlips](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_Tightlips)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/15 "2012-05-31T17:29:07Z")
I’d go with SOLUTIONS. It’s professional, yet generic enough that it works for just about any career (should you ever change jobs, etc). Not so stuffy that casual aquaintances will be put off by it either. First.Last.Solutions@ [domain.com](http://domain.com) ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/16 "2012-05-31T18:53:03Z")
j.o.h.n.s.m.i.t.h @ [gmail.com](http://gmail.com) ---
**Author:** ![Dag\_Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@Dag\_Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dag_Otto)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/17 "2012-05-31T20:08:10Z")
nm ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/18 "2012-05-31T20:10:32Z")
OhnjayIthsmay@here.there. ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [May 31, 2012, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/19 "2012-05-31T20:26:28Z")
[ReachJohnSmith@gmail.com](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=653341) ---
**Author:** ![J\_Cubed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@J\_Cubed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/J_Cubed)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2012, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375/20 "2012-06-07T18:50:22Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > j.o.h.n.s.m.i.t.h @ [gmail.com](http://gmail.com) Gmail ignores periods, so this is the same as johnsmith @ [gmail.com](http://gmail.com). This comes in handy if you want to give your address out with different dotting for sorting purposes, but all dot-based variations of this address already belong to johnsmith (or john.smith, however he originally signed up). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/email-address-ideas-for-common-names/623375.md?page=2)