# Stupid User Names

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775>\
**Category:** The BBQ Pit\
**Created:** [January 6, 2001, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775 "2001-01-06T23:51:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![TheThill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheThill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheThill)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/61 "2001-01-08T22:45:32Z")

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How about random 10-character alphanumerics for everyone?

What?

Oh ok, never mind.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [January 8, 2001, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/62 "2001-01-08T23:47:30Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> Personally, anyone with an odd or obscure reference in his username should be tied to a post in rural Montana.

with dental floss from a nearby ranch …

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**Author:** ![JubilationTCornpone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ee59a6/32.png) [@JubilationTCornpone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JubilationTCornpone)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/63 "2001-01-09T00:31:34Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Derleth \*  
> **Personally, anyone with an odd or obscure reference in his username should be tied to a post in rural Montana**

I’m sorry.

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**Author:** ![tradesilicon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/439d5e/32.png) [@tradesilicon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tradesilicon)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/64 "2001-01-09T00:34:35Z")

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\<=== Now that’s a username! C’mon man, can’t you see the beauty in it?

I would like to know what’s behind some of these names. I think it’s sili to keep posters in the dark about how you came up with your name.

tradesilicon - I thought I was going to trade shares of companies based in Silicon Valley (which lasted a very short time). I also work in the industry (work with Silicon-based products by trade…) so it was kinda cute. How about some of you real mysterious posters, care to explain?

PS - who ever asked for capitalization, here you go - F.U.

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**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/65 "2001-01-09T00:52:25Z")

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You could accuse some of us who don’t capitalize our names of being a bunch of UNIX.

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**Author:** ![Muffin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/muffin/32/4341_2.png) [@Muffin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muffin)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/66 "2001-01-09T01:59:29Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by yabob \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > Personally, anyone with an odd or obscure reference in his username should be tied to a post in rural Montana.
> 
> with dental floss from a nearby ranch …  
> \*\*

Montana ranchers floss?

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**Author:** ![aseymayo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e57/32.png) [@aseymayo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aseymayo)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/67 "2001-01-09T02:19:45Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by JubilationTCornpone \*  
> I’m sorry.

No problem, We’ll just tie you to a post in Dogpatch.

**yabob** - that would explain the high voice!

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**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/68 "2001-01-09T02:56:16Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by oldscratch \*  
> Personally anything over 10 characters is excesive in length and somewhat silly.
> 
> Anything under 10 characters isn’t nearly descriptive enough and is somewhat confusing.

I fit this.

> [@](#):
>
> Alternatively, all user names should sound like an actual person’s name but have absolutely no relationship to the user’s actual name.

And this.

> [@](#):
>
> _Originally posted by **Alias** _ Personally, I think I have the most brief-and-to-the-point username on the SDMB- not to mention intelligent. I think you’re all just jealous that you didn’t think of it first.

Plus, in the creativity department, I kick THIS guy’s ass!

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**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/69 "2001-01-09T03:20:54Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by oldscratch \*  
> \*\*Personally anything over 10 characters is excesive in length and somewhat silly.
> 
> 😃 \*\*

_sniffle_

What if it’s easily shortened, as in “Cranky?”

_sniffle_

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**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/70 "2001-01-09T03:56:05Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> On a BBS i used to frequent one of the most beloved posters was a guy who went by the handle “Aquaseafoamshame”. I loved it. I was told that it came from some musical group or something, but it still made me grin.

FTR, this is a line from the Nirvana song All Apologies. Good nickname.

Long names are okay, as long as they are easily shortened, IMHO. I generally mentally call people by an abbreviation of their handles.

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**Author:** ![The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Pit_and_The_Pendulum)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/71 "2001-01-09T04:17:44Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Danielinthewolvesden \*  
> **Remember, when we pick our usernames, it is before we are experienced. I had no idea my username was going to be a bit too long- I figured it fit in the box, so it was OK.**

I was actually here a couple months and asked people to help me choose the name and picked this one.

It was only after I’d changed to it that anyone mentioned that it moved the columns around on the forum lists.

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**Author:** ![The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f08c70/32.png) [@The\_Pit\_and\_The\_Pendulum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Pit_and_The_Pendulum)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/72 "2001-01-09T04:19:38Z")

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I’m not seeing a problem in this area as UncleBeer.  
Maybe I’m on a different browser? Can you check the thread below?

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by UncleBeer \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > … the long names just push in the name box a little on that one post, not the whole thread.
> 
> Only names that contain spaces will wrap to a second line. If your user name contains no spaces, the other fields get pushed to the right. And it’s dammned annoying. \*\*

I see this, like whoever he’s quoting: “… the long names just push in the name box a little on that one post, not the whole thread.”

There’s Danielinthewolvesden here, for example, with no odd effects, and one of the 25 character names is on this thread: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=54170](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=54170)

Anybody else see differences? What does it look like to you\>

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**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/73 "2001-01-09T05:30:09Z")

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Firstly, you 10-letter folks, imagine a space at the end of my name.

Nextly, those of you that have a problem with lower-case names, tough shit.

Finally, whoever it was that wanted a reference to the posters name IRL, see above.  
loveingly,

```
   -ts (aka: EJM)
```

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**Author:** ![Sue\_Duhnym](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/91b2a8/32.png) [@Sue\_Duhnym](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sue_Duhnym)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/74 "2001-01-09T06:17:04Z")

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I always like your name **thinksnow** , because although I know it’s meant to be ‘think snow’, it can also be ‘thinks now’.

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**Author:** ![Chronolicht](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3bc359/32.png) [@Chronolicht](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronolicht)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/75 "2001-01-09T07:31:07Z")

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Movin’ to Montana soon.  
Gonna be a dental a floss tycoon.  
Waxin’ ‘em up! Raisin’ 'em down! Just me and my pygmy pony,  
out on the town!

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**Author:** ![King\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@King\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/King_Rat)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 7:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/76 "2001-01-09T07:52:44Z")

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Moments earlier, the man on the ground made an innocent passing remark about people who had nicknames with over 10 letters. [http://soccerhooligan.com/photos/copenhagen/37.jpg](http://soccerhooligan.com/photos/copenhagen/37.jpg)

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**Author:** ![screech-owl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/82dd89/32.png) [@screech-owl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/screech-owl)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/77 "2001-01-09T13:11:20Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by aseymayo \*  
> \*\*…I think the very _best_ names are those that …end with a vowel… \*\*

And a part of the avian community, I am in total agreeme…

::re-reads last word::  
Oops, never mind.

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**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/78 "2001-01-09T15:22:37Z")

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Those of you who don’t like long names had better stay out of Thailand. This is the sort of beauty you can run into there:

Cheevaprawatdomrong, or  
Chatrchaiwiwatana (both last names)

Thai-haters! All of you!

_more sniffles_

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**Author:** ![thinksnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thinksnow/32/2849_2.png) [@thinksnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thinksnow)\
**Post date:** [January 9, 2001, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/79 "2001-01-09T17:06:58Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Sue Duhnym \*  
> \*\*I always like your name **thinksnow** , because although I know it’s meant to be ‘think snow’, it can also be ‘thinks now’.  
> \*\*

Aww, thanks, **Sue**. Personally, and I know others have said this before, but I have always liked your name and thought it was terribly clever.

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**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\
**Post date:** [January 10, 2001, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupid-user-names/48775/80 "2001-01-10T17:26:08Z")

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What kind of moron ends his username with a hyphen?

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