# I want to change my user name **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [July 25, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232 "2011-07-25T02:13:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/1 "2011-07-25T02:13:36Z")
I didn’t understand how these types of boards worked over ten years ago when I signed up and put down my own name. I’d like to change it, if possible, to something somewhat more anonymous, while maintaing my registration date. Can I do that? ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/2 "2011-07-25T02:34:35Z")
Yup. Email [tubadiva@aol.com](mailto:tubadiva@aol.com) and tell her your current name and the new name you want. It might be a good idea to provide a couple of alternatives in case your first choice is taken. ---
**Author:** ![crypto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b3f665/32.png) [@crypto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/crypto)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2011, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/3 "2011-07-25T03:39:50Z")
Hey, Yo! Tony! I think “Three Fingers Finelli” is available. Or are you going to go with “Anthony”? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/4 "2011-07-26T03:09:56Z")
> [@Stink Fish Pot](#): > > Hey, Yo! Tony! I think “Three Fingers Finelli” is available. > > Or are you going to go with “Anthony”? 😃 Very funny. I’m going with Antonio, of course. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/5 "2011-07-26T04:17:36Z")
> [@Tony](#): > > Very funny. I’m going with Antonio, of course. Already taken, sorry. You need to give me several names, ranked in the order in which you prefer them. I’ll go with the first one not already in use by someone else. ---
**Author:** ![Giraffe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giraffe/32/129_2.png) [@Giraffe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giraffe)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/6 "2011-07-26T04:45:18Z")
You should be Tony Baloney. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/7 "2011-07-26T10:22:45Z")
My High School friend Tony used to sign his name “Ynot?” ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/8 "2011-07-26T10:35:05Z")
Was it a remedial school? ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 11:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/9 "2011-07-26T11:00:05Z")
He was being amusing. Considering the stupid nonsense I used to do as a teen, that was the height of comedy. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2011, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/10 "2011-07-26T13:32:34Z")
[Tony! Toni! Tone’!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony!_Toni!_Ton%C3%A9!) (link to wikipedia) ---
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/11 "2011-07-27T00:14:23Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Already taken, sorry. > > You need to give me several names, ranked in the order in which you prefer them. I’ll go with the first one not already in use by someone else. Okay, I’m going to think up some names and get back to you in a short while. And I’m glad Antonio is taken, because I was joking anyway! ---
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/12 "2011-07-27T00:15:29Z")
> [@Tony](#): > > Okay, I’m going to think up some names and get back to you in a short while. > > And I’m glad Antonio is taken, because I was joking anyway! By the way, do I need to email them or can I put them up here? ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/13 "2011-07-27T02:32:17Z")
They need to go here so we can vote on them. Isn’t that how this works? ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/14 "2011-07-27T02:46:51Z")
That’s what happened to me. **Digital is the new Analog** won in a close race with **Whatever, Bob**. I think **My Life as a Penguin** came in third. -W/b ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/15 "2011-07-27T03:01:07Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Already taken, sorry. > > You need to give me several names, ranked in the order in which you prefer them. I’ll go with the first one not already in use by someone else. When I changed my name, I only gave one name. I’ve been here long enough to know it wasn’t taken. My name is original enough that I’m the only Invisible Chimp on the Internet. ---
**Author:** ![Lukeinva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lukeinva/32/17872_2.png) [@Lukeinva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lukeinva)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/16 "2011-07-27T03:33:11Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > When I changed my name, I only gave one name. I’ve been here long enough to know it wasn’t taken. My name is original enough that I’m the only Invisible Chimp on the Internet. Invisible Chimp 2 ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/17 "2011-07-27T03:51:39Z")
I can’t understand why no one else would want the nick Invisible Chimp. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/18 "2011-07-27T04:01:00Z")
> [@GuanoLad](#): > > My High School friend Tony used to sign his name “Ynot?” A grade school acquaintance of mine named Tony went by the nickname “Meatball,” but that really wasn’t his choice. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/19 "2011-07-27T06:55:36Z")
I thought my username was completely original, and nobody in their right mind would want it, until some guy stole it for Flickr. Though he claims he’s been using it since the 80s. Luckily we rarely encounter each other. He’s from the UK and usually hangs around wine snob sites. ---
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232/20 "2011-07-28T03:20:23Z")
I can’t believe how difficult it is to come up with a name! I’ve always liked **Montresor** since he’s a sort of anti-hero to me for walling up his enemy so ingeniously in _The Cask of Amontillado_. I’ve tried to come up with a funny pun on Cthulu, like Koo2Lou (but I won’t bold that because it’s actually lame!). Checking out the backgammon and chess programs on my computer, I’ve played around with Frontgammon and Check, mate. I don’t like any of those either. White Moves First could have racist connotations, so I’ll lay off of that. I’ve looked at the planets for inspiration but can’t come up with anything. (I mean, I’ve Googled the names of the planets rather than praying to them for guidance.) I have no idea, so all I have right now is **Montresor**. I’ll see if I can up with my two more. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-want-to-change-my-user-name/590232.md?page=2)