# Usernames and the maleability thereof **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 10, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263 "2001-06-10T05:12:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![The\_Fromesiter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Fromesiter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fromesiter)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263/1 "2001-06-10T05:12:35Z")
Ahem, unfortunately for me when I registered to the SDMB I misspelled what I wanted my screen name to be. Rather embaressing I must say. So, now, is there any way to change my user name? ---
**Author:** ![Mercutio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Mercutio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mercutio)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263/2 "2001-06-10T05:20:59Z")
Send an e-mail to either of the 2 administrators. Tell them an explanation, the current spelling and the correct spelling and they will change it. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Fromesiter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dec6dc/32.png) [@The\_Fromesiter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Fromesiter)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263/3 "2001-06-10T05:36:58Z")
Oh, simple indeed. Thanks a bunch! ---
**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:** [June 10, 2001, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263/4 "2001-06-10T07:49:48Z")
There’s more than two administrators, but TubaDiva and I are the ones who do most of the name changes, bannings, and so forth. Ed is in charge of keeping Cecil as much in line as Cecil ever gets, and that’s a full time job. C K Dexter Haven is frequently out of the country on business (and he sent me a postcard from Bangkok, bemoaning the fact that he couldn’t get online so he’d have to go sightseeing, poor him!) and so he frequently doesn’t have a chance to answer his mail in a timely manner. At least one tech is an administrator, too, but he doesn’t really do “member services” things. So email me and/or TubaDiva, and we’ll be happy to change your name. Please note, though, that we won’t allow you to change your name every month, there ARE limits. But one or two changes are certainly reasonable. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 10, 2001, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263/5 "2001-06-10T18:58:53Z")
I believe the maleability of a given username would depend in part on how male it already is, on the theory that not much is accomplished by gilding gold or moistening water. Then you’d have to consider the range of permissible change- I mean, if the original username had been “Debbie” and you attempted to give it more male attributes by changing it to “Rambo”, most of us would not agree that you had maintained any meaningful continuity and we’d perceive it as an entirely new username. Now if your original user name had been “Fromesita”, let’s say, and… Huh? Well, that’s what he ASKED! OK, I’m going, I’m going! ::stomps off:: ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2001, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/usernames-and-the-maleability-thereof/68263/6 "2001-06-11T12:05:52Z")
Once the name change goes through, don’t forget to notify your bank, credit card company, other creditors, and so on. Also, a formal notice to your friends and relations (engraved, naturally) is always apreciated. * * * The poster formerly known as **jti** (sig™ inserted at request of [dantheman](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=70417), and to placate [Sue Duhnym](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=68898))