What is the meaning behind your chosen screen name? Some of the names on SDMB truly mystify me, and I’m sure others have wondered the same.
As for me, Sidewinder is something I picked up when another person said my car handles like a heat-seeking missile. 
It sort of has a double meaning because I like the desert a lot.
So, how about yours?
I really effing hate elves.
Actually, it’s just a name that nobody else ever uses, so I use it pretty much everywhere I sign up on-line.
It’s so the system can say ‘Thank You Maskedman’ whenever I post something.
It’s from a Lenny Bruce schtick about the Lone Ranger and Tonto.
I’m not actually named after the animal (although I do find penguin to be almost unbearably cute), rather it’s the title of a Tragically Hip song. They are one of my favorite bands, so I though, what the heck.
Also, the name I originally wanted, Bobcaygeon (another Hip song), was taken. Grrr…
If you are interested, there have been a number of threads dedicated to the topic of the meaning or origin of the Usernames selected by the Teeming Millions[sup]TM[/sup]… as follows…
Your Literary Straight Dope Handle
What does your Straight Dope nickname mean?
Where’d you get your board name?
How did you chose your username?
What’s the story behind your username?
The “What’s the deal with your username?” Thread
Explain what your name means, and what you think we think it means
Mephistopheles is just too hard for people to pronounce. Plus, my name appears in too many different forms in various plays, novels, songs, comics, poems, musical works, and so forth. I didn’t want to deal with people telling me my name was spelled wrong. Thus plain old Mephisto.
The true meaning of my name? I’ll tell you . . . for a price . . .
A lot of people think my name means I’m fanatically dedicated to my fifteen cats, but that’s not quite it. It’s more a statement of my ambitions in life. Some day, I want to be the strange old lady down the street with the houseful of cats–the one who all the kids are afraid of.
I haven’t been here long enough to reply to one of those previous what does your name mean threads, so I’ll reply to this one.
I’ve had over 25 usernames various places. I finally settled on Merla after some time. If Merla is taken anywhere, I choose MerlaSteele.
Merla was originally Mela Merwoman, from a character I liked in a Xanth novel (by Piers Anthony). Over time I saw it was too lengthy and changed it to just Mela. But Mela was already taken for a name in several places, so I just added an R and made it Merla.
The Steele I add sometimes is because I’m a great fan of the old TV show Remington Steele.
Merla
I guzplained mine here.
EnderW is my first name. 24 is the number of shots my parents had the night I was conceived.
There’s no meaning behind mine at all, truthfully. Well, maybe a little bit.
I just figured “enginner” had to be already taken, so I didn’t bother to try that. It also sort of fits my current life situation.
Should I bother to post the obvious?
What the heck.
Well…it used to be a tribute to Reagan. :rolleyes:
What was that you said, Gazelle?
I can’t hear ya’.
[sub]Damn. I have been waiting to pull that out for months, and then she posted the link that explains the whole thing. Crap.[/sub]
Trust me, if you have 15 cats you’ve achieved your goal. Whether you know it or not, you’re known as the lady down the street with all the cats.
The first message board I posted to was a soccer board and I chose this name. I don’t want to have to remember a lot of names so I use this one.
Well, I am a fan of H.P. Lovecraft, and I am occasionally possesed by and giant octopus-like humaniod “sleeping” in the sunken city of Rl’yeh…eaeoanfa e HA pUnnY hUmAns, hOw dArE thEE qUEstIOn whAt nAmE I chOOse tO UsE On thIs bOArd!! OnE dAy I shAll rIsE frOm thE dEpths And dEvOUr yOU All.
Mine’s pretty simple…
I’m a theatrical lighting person … “Lighting”
At times, I act like a complete tool. … “tool”
Mine is rather self-explanatory…it pretty much means what it says.
–IDB
Needed a screen name, looked around the room and saw my cat Fritz. Besides, I like the movie.
Mine is just a contraction of my name. I got tired of trying to remember what name went to what and streamlined everything.
Also, I’ve always wanted to be called Cat. A lady at church when I was little went by the name of Kat for Katherine and I thought it was soooo cooool.
Mine is easy…Kat is for Kathleen and Lady well, it is what some people call me…like in “Hey Lady!”
Besides with 4 cats and a tendancy to take in strays it sorta fits.