# The Bolding Of Names **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 17, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467 "2009-04-17T20:31:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/1 "2009-04-17T20:31:12Z")
This is the very first message board I have joined, and I always thought it was a tradition here. Isn’t it? Personally, when someone answers me and takes the trouble to bold my nick, it just tickles me that they would go through that extra trouble. It’s like a show of respect, even if someone disagrees with you. Kinda like, " I may not agree with your point of view, but I will defend to my death your right to say it, **Asshole**."😉 Anyway, I think it’s a cool thing to do, and I will always remember to associate it with The Dope (although it may have begun somewhere else, for all i know) Q ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/2 "2009-04-17T20:34:56Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s like a show of respect, even if someone disagrees with you. > > Kinda like, " I may not agree with your point of view, but I will defend to my death your right to say it, Asshole." I see it more of a “please pay close attention, **asshole** , because I don’t want to repeat it.” I typically don’t bold it, unless it is to draw particular attention from that poster. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/3 "2009-04-17T20:38:40Z")
I find it useful in long threads. If I don’t want to read every single post, I can quickly scan the page and find any that say **friedo** in them, and read those. ETA: Of course, I could do that with my browser’s find function as well, but I’m lazy. And sometimes people misspell my name. **Fredo** is the guy who gets whacked, and **Frodo** is the guy who’s gay for Sam. ---
**Author:** ![Mississippienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d2c977/32.png) [@Mississippienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mississippienne)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/4 "2009-04-17T20:45:24Z")
I consider it respectful, and always bold usernames. Occasionally I may forget, or screw up the coding, but that’s rare. I prefer people to bold mine, as well. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2009, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/5 "2009-04-17T20:46:59Z")
I’ve heard it’s a throwback to the AOL days, when it happened automatically. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/6 "2009-04-18T01:33:53Z")
I do it (when I remember) because a few usernames look like regular words (though oddly placed/used in a sentence) or perhaps the name of someone IRL without something to indicate that I am referring to a board user. To maintain consistency, I then extend bolding to all board user names. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/7 "2009-04-18T01:48:33Z")
I don’t think using ‘Ctrl-B’ is extra trouble. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/8 "2009-04-18T01:51:45Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > I don’t think using ‘Ctrl-B’ is extra trouble. Well, _that_ was a useful thing to learn! 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/9 "2009-04-18T02:10:04Z")
I almost always bold, because it just looks right. I don’t see posts from Bricker, I see them from **Bricker**. And a lot of them, too. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/10 "2009-04-18T02:44:56Z")
Hi, **Quasimodem**! ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/11 "2009-04-18T02:50:13Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Well, _that_ was a useful thing to learn! 🆒 I **agree**! I’ve just always hit that **B** up there on the bar and then wrote what I wanted to emphasize in between the brackets! This is \*\*much \*\* easier! Thanks, **PA** **Q** ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/12 "2009-04-18T03:15:05Z")
Hello, **Angry Lurker**! Why _angry_? 🙂 And welcome to the Dope! Q ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Poster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Happy\_Poster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Poster)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/13 "2009-04-18T03:18:09Z")
Well, I started because a thread made me angry, although I have calmed down now. Viking ancestry you see 😉 And with that adieu, for I am off to bed 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 8:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/14 "2009-04-18T08:29:03Z")
I like to pretend I’m writing a Walter Winchell column. (Hi, Eve!) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2009, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/15 "2009-04-18T16:32:02Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t think using ‘Ctrl-B’ is extra trouble. Hey–I’m gonna try that **contrl-b idea..** …and it worked. !! now, I’m gonna try , say, _control I for italics,_ and gee whiz, that worked too! Why is this not printed in HUGE BOLD LETTERS someplace where even the stoopid Dopers like me can find it? Wow–this is amazing…my quality of life will be improved forever! For years now, I’ve always used the square brakets… type braket, b bracket, then a few words later, bracket, slash b bracket…what a pain in the rump. But now I’m can say “free at last, free at last, thank god Almighty, I’m free at last” (oh, yeah…apologies to Martin Luther King. So folks…don’t pit me, okay?) ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/16 "2009-04-19T07:12:35Z")
What’s nice is that it works both ways. You can begin with ctrl-i/b/u and begin typing, or you can select text already typed and use ctrl-i/b/u on it too and it’ll wrap the words in brackets. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/17 "2009-04-19T07:49:32Z")
Before this thread takes a “bad turn”, I would like to add that whether one chooses to bold or not should not be seen as being in any way lacking in manners and/or decorum, okay? I would like to take the responsibility for having given the wrong impression, and indicating that bolding is a sign of respect. It is **not** , and I regret writing this. It is a personal choice and that is all. I was educated using _The Elements of Style_, and I know better than this. Sometimes I get too full of myself and “need taking down” a notch or two. This time I choose to do it myself. I do aplogize. Sincerely Bill Craig ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/18 "2009-04-19T11:32:08Z")
> [@KneadToKnow](#): > > I’ve heard it’s a throwback to the AOL days, when it happened automatically. I certainly don’t remember it happening automatically. I remember that we had some folks go crazy with the toolbar, though. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2009, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/19 "2009-04-19T14:25:59Z")
Actually, it’s something I’ve taken to doing with communications at work, especially if I’m giving instructions to multiple people in the same document/email… " **Melissa** , I need you to do A, B, and C. **John H** , when Melissa is done with C, you need to take it over and do D, then give the results to **Jim**. **Jim** , when John H hands it to you, it should be correct. Call me at that point." ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2009, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-bolding-of-names/493467/20 "2009-04-20T01:46:02Z")
I don’t know how to say this without sounding like a jerk, but when I bold somebody’s name, I don’t mean it as a sign of respect. I do it even for people I think are twits! (Actually that isn’t quite true, because the only people that I think are twits are on my ignore list, so I almost never reply to or quote them. But if I _were_ to reference such a person, I would bold their name. A lot of us have names that don’t look like names, so bolding them enhances readability.)