# What's the meaning of, or why did you choose, your Doper name?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 9, 2004, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958 "2004-08-09T01:05:27Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 6

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**Author:** ![Kilt-wearin\_man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/82dd89/32.png) [@Kilt-wearin\_man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kilt-wearin_man)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/101 "2004-08-11T17:53:40Z")

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My username celebrates my Dutch heritage. 😃

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**Author:** ![Nutty\_Bunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/d07c76/32.png) [@Nutty\_Bunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nutty_Bunny)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/102 "2004-08-11T18:21:39Z")

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Mine is from a _Kids in the Hall_ skit.

“I’m nutty bunny number 1, I like to frolic in the sun.”

“I’m nutty bunny number 2, I like me and I like you.”

“I’m nutty bunny number 3, the cutest bunny is always me.”

“Actually, we’re not really nutty bunnies, we’re just college guys.”

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**Author:** ![Izzybella](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e56c9b/32.png) [@Izzybella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Izzybella)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/103 "2004-08-11T18:30:20Z")

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Another easy one to explain–My name is Elizabeth, which in Spanish is Isabella. I have a Spanish-speaking friend who calls me Izzybella. Hence the name. Also could have used Zard, which one of my friends came up with after hearing my mother call me Lizardbreath.

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**Author:** ![pilot141](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e0b2c6/32.png) [@pilot141](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pilot141)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/104 "2004-08-11T19:42:45Z")

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I’m afraid I’m not very creative when it comes to usernames.

Way back when I signed up for my first e-mail account/internet access, I came up with a stroke of pure (ahem) genius: combine my job with what airplane I fly! Pure brilliance!

Thus was born pilot141. (Linky to a[C-141](http://proft.50megs.com/c-141-kh.jpg)).

Proving my amazing lack of foresight, I have moved on to fly four different airplanes after the C-141, but the username still sticks for just about everything.

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**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/105 "2004-08-11T20:10:20Z")

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**E.** is my real first initial, and **Thorp** is an old family name (old in my family, anyway; we haven’t had any Thorps born in our tree since the late 19th century).

On short notice I decided I wanted to post my first reply to a thread, and I needed a screen name but quick. That’s why my name isn’t very interesting.

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/106 "2004-08-11T20:12:22Z")

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In high school I read the David Eddings series The Elenium Throne. I don’t remember diddly-squat about it, except I think I really liked the queen. Anyway, I thought if her name had been **Elenia** , that would have been really cool. Then I thought \*\*Elenia \*\* was a really nice name in general, just different enough from \*\*Elena \*\* that it’s not Italian, and doesn’t show any nationality.

I’ve been \*\*Elenia \*\* something or other on the Web for over ten years now. I was once hoping to name my putative daughter \*\*Elenia \*\* but now it doesn’t seem like I’m going to have one, and besides, if she ever went online millions of people might potentially remember her. 🙂

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**Author:** ![moonstarssun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@moonstarssun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moonstarssun)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/107 "2004-08-11T22:11:14Z")

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I picked mine for the following reasons:  
[ul]I’ve always been interested in the pervasiveness of astronomical images in art. Everything from primitive to contemporary has examples of it, and there always seems to be a sense of wonder or awe connected to it. Very cool.[/ul]  
[ul]Astronomy was one of my favorite non-major subjects in school.[/ul]  
[ul]I like the way it looks in lower-case letters.[/ul]

That is all.

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**Author:** ![Magnolia\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Magnolia\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magnolia_B)\
**Post date:** [August 11, 2004, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/108 "2004-08-11T22:27:51Z")

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It’s my girl dog’s name.

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**Author:** ![AndyPolley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@AndyPolley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndyPolley)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/109 "2004-08-12T02:12:05Z")

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Andy Polley is a geeky tribute to the no longer on the air sports talk radio show hosted by Tony Kornheiser. His sidekick/producer was named Andy Pollin but a caller one day insulted him by saying “Andy Polley, you are an idiot!”

“Andy Polley” became an never ending joke & a tribute to idiots everywhere.

When my good friend Moe would take one of our in person discussions to this board for the teeming millions to disect, ya’ll would always say things like…

“Moe…your friend is an idiot.”

I was then inspired to join your ranks, and prove my idiocy. Judging from the reaction to my [first post](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=131450), it seems to have worked.

Now is there a thread that has folks explain their sigs?

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**Author:** ![SolGrundy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbce88/32.png) [@SolGrundy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SolGrundy)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/110 "2004-08-12T02:38:15Z")

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[Solomon Grundy want pants too!](http://www.seanbaby.com/superfriends/grundy.htm)

And my previous standard screen name, **torgo** , was already taken.

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**Author:** ![NinjaChick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/71c47a/32.png) [@NinjaChick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinjaChick)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/111 "2004-08-12T02:43:29Z")

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It’s descriptive (sorta), and “taekwondochick” or “martialartschick” just didn’t have the same ring.

Also, I grew up on a steady diet of “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” obsession, so…yeah.

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**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/112 "2004-08-12T03:44:20Z")

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Clothahump is the name of the Elderly Turtle Wizard in Alan Dean Foster’s excellent Spellsinger novel series.

There are times I feel a couple of hundred years old…

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**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/113 "2004-08-12T07:27:15Z")

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> [@smartini](#):
>
> Love that one 🙂
> 
> I have a folder of various writing and poetry labeled “Start”…as in don’t keep thinking about writing that…just _start._
> 
> My user name for a MUD game I play sometimes was smartwoman because all the names I kept trying were taken and I thought “C’mon you’re a smart woman you can think of name, for Pete’s sake!” Later shortened one night when I left to get a drink and came back as…
> 
> smartini 😉

Thanks 😉

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**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/114 "2004-08-12T08:23:34Z")

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When I was in high school I read the Heir to the Empire trilogy. There was a star destroyer called Stormhawk, which I thought sounded cool. Then I started getting into BBSes in a big way, so I used stormhawk as my handle on most boards. I went by firebear on a couple, but decided it was dumb so I dropped it.

Later, when IRC and the Web rose from the ashes of the BBSes, I discovered that there were a number of other stormhawks out there on the bit sea, so I tweaked the spelling. Occasionally I get people who try to talk to me in German, but no sprecken zie deutch.

The weird thing is I’m more into Star Trek than Star Wars, yet I have a screenname based on an obscure ship from a Star Wars novel. Go figure.

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**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 10:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/115 "2004-08-12T10:54:39Z")

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My take on the **Mangetout** thing was that it was a reference to Del Boy in Only Fools and Horses. His attempts at French phrases always ended up as a complete train wreck. “Mange tout, mange tout” was a recurring one, as was “Bonjour” on leaving a room.

**Steve Wright** , you are not a cheesy, unemployed former DJ are you?

My own Doper name is a [googlewhack](http://www.googlewhack.com/). As my first post to the board was on the subject of googlewhacking, it seemed appropriate.

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**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/116 "2004-08-12T10:57:36Z")

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On inspection, I notice that “invidious courgette” no longer lights up the googlewhacking firmament. ☹

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**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/117 "2004-08-12T11:24:44Z")

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> [@InvidiousCourgette](#):
>
> On inspection, I notice that “invidious courgette” no longer lights up the googlewhacking firmament. ☹

You’re still accepted. We don’t mind, do we Dopers?

Do we Dopers!!! :dubious:

OK, that’s settled. 😃

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**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/118 "2004-08-12T13:01:02Z")

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> [@Kilt-wearin' man](#):
>
> My username celebrates my Dutch heritage. 😃

Or, to reflect your apparel on a normal day of manuvers (third row, fourth column)  
[http://www.celebritypaintball.com/pastevents2.html](http://www.celebritypaintball.com/pastevents2.html)

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**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/119 "2004-08-12T13:04:43Z")

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> [@Sean Factotum](#):
>
> Or, to reflect your apparel on a normal day of manuvers (third row, fourth column)  
> [http://www.celebritypaintball.com/pastevents2.html](http://www.celebritypaintball.com/pastevents2.html)

Um, we want answers Sean!

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**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2004, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-meaning-of-or-why-did-you-choose-your-doper-name/258958/120 "2004-08-12T13:21:58Z")

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This thread’s already to page three and the answer segways through Japanese, but sure, why not:

1. Chris
2. クリス
3. 久俐鼡
4. Sage Rat

For anyone who can display and understand the characters, I would note that I of course purposefully selected characters which seemed rightish to me. So to some extent I suppose it is just a matter that I can personally envisage myself as a mean old all knowing rat. Not something most would choose, perhaps, but I’m happy. 🆒

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