# When (and if) you talk to yourself, do you refer to yourself by name? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 27, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475 "2011-12-27T01:25:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/1 "2011-12-27T01:25:36Z")
Weird question! But do you ever talk to yourself, and refer to yourself by name when you do so? (Like, for example, if I did, I’d say to myself when no one’s around, “Great going, Frylock” or whatever.) I don’t, but what I have recently noticed is that the very thought of doing so seems almost repugnant to me. Like, if I look in a mirror, and try to address myself, it almost feels gross. Thought I’d see what others’ reactions are to the prospect… ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/2 "2011-12-27T03:11:49Z")
I think sometimes I refer to myself as “Dude.” “Dude, stop and think about this for a minute.” “Nice hair, dude.” I happen to be female, too. But I refer to most other humans as dude too. ---
**Author:** ![UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/46a35a/32.png) [@UFC\_Is\_Sux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UFC_Is_Sux)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/3 "2011-12-27T03:28:03Z")
Sure do. “You’re better than this, Sux. Use your head for something besides a hatrack and FIGURE THIS OUT!” Sometimes I even answer myself back. ---
**Author:** ![Omega\_Glory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7c8e57/32.png) [@Omega\_Glory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omega_Glory)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/4 "2011-12-27T03:31:34Z")
> [@ZipperJJ](#): > > I happen to be female, too. But I refer to most other humans as dude too. Dude’s for [everybody](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FqMODweN8lQ), now (warning, bad song ahead). No, I don’t refer to myself by name. I use “you” or nothing at all. As in “come on, you know the answer to this” or a general sarcastic “nice going.” ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/5 "2011-12-27T03:34:16Z")
If I’m talking to myself it’s because I fucked up, so I call myself “Dipshit.” But it’s not like I call myself that more than 20 times a day or anything. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/6 "2011-12-27T03:47:33Z")
I’ve never asked myself this before, and when I did he answered “we always refer to each other in the second person”. ---
**Author:** ![Blackberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecd19e/32.png) [@Blackberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blackberry)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/7 "2011-12-27T03:57:29Z")
I do every once in a while, but usually my talking-to-myself gets directed at a nearby pet, baby, or Jesus Fucking Christ. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/8 "2011-12-27T03:58:35Z")
In California, we are all dudes. I don’t usually refer to people by their names in general in conversation, and there isn’t an exception when I talk to myself. I typically call myself “you” or “we,” (never “I” for whatever reason) and on the rare occasion I use my name, I call myself a cutesy girly variation of my name. I’m a chick with a dudes name, btw, and eschew all girly nicks, but the one I at times call myself is totally cool. ---
**Author:** ![Sudden\_Kestrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@Sudden\_Kestrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sudden_Kestrel)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/9 "2011-12-27T04:33:52Z")
I don’t refer to myself by name, but I do call myself names like “you idiot,” “numbskull” or “nitwit.” It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to hear my childhood nicknames again :D. ---
**Author:** ![Sierra\_Indigo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f0a364/32.png) [@Sierra\_Indigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sierra_Indigo)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/10 "2011-12-27T04:45:14Z")
> [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](#): > > If I’m talking to myself it’s because I fucked up, so I call myself “Dipshit.” > > But it’s not like I call myself that more than 20 times a day or anything. > [@Sudden\_Kestrel](#): > > I don’t refer to myself by name, but I do call myself names like “you idiot,” “numbskull” or “nitwit.” It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy to hear my childhood nicknames again :D. “What the fuck are you doing, you stupid fucking bitch?” That’s my usual form of address for me. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/11 "2011-12-27T04:50:11Z")
Nope. I only tend to use names in direct address when I need to get that person’s attention, and I don’t need to get my attention. And, no, I don’t care that using someone’s name a lot supposedly puts them at ease. It’s still horribly awkward. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/12 "2011-12-27T04:53:10Z")
Every once in awhile, or I’ll just use the term “self,” as in “self, you need to stop eating so much junk.” Grammatically correct? Of course not. But it has stuck. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/13 "2011-12-27T04:54:29Z")
No, I don’t even use sentences most of the time in my head. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/14 "2011-12-27T05:34:50Z")
No. I talk to myself all the time, but it’s similar to a monologue, not referring to myself specifically. Except for “idiot!” ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/15 "2011-12-27T08:08:58Z")
I tend not to refer to myself by name, but will use terms like girl, idiot or sweetheart. If I’ve been really dumb I will often say “Silly Bridget” (from Bridget Jones’s Diary). ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/16 "2011-12-27T08:12:22Z")
Only when I berate myself, and then it’s a matter of degree: mild berating is “ok, you idiot”, stronger will scalate to “let’s see here, Nava”, strongest uses full name. ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/17 "2011-12-27T08:28:01Z")
I always refer to myself as Batman when talking to myself. Doesn’t everyone? ---
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 12:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/18 "2011-12-27T12:18:49Z")
Yep. It’s a habit I picked up from my grandfather. Whenever he had an itch, he’d loudly exclaim “Ooh, get 'em, Sam!” while violently scratching wherever he itched. Nowadays, whenever I have an itch, I loudly exclaim “Ooh, get 'em, Aaron!” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 1:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/19 "2011-12-27T13:03:54Z")
No. I use the royal “we”. \*We need to get our butt moving. \* ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2011, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475/20 "2011-12-27T13:21:50Z")
My name (only my first name) is reserved for those situations where I’m utterly disgusted with myself. More generally, it’s “I” “you” and “we” about equally. It’s not uncommon for the form of address to change as the stress builds: “Shit, I’m late! Oh well, we’ll get there when we get there, no point stressing now.” “Dangit, you knew you shoulda left sooner.” “Godsdammit, Nicole! You left the forms on your dresser! You might as well cancel the meeting. There’s no way you’ll make it now and they’re all going to hate you fuck, fuck, fuck!” I’ve long considered it about the strongest “evidence” there is that Freud’s concept of the superego is the inner speech of which Vygotsky spoke. It’s the external judgement internalized. When Mom was utterly disgusted with me, she’d use my name, of course. The voice of external authority has become internal authority, and hasn’t changed its vocabulary. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-and-if-you-talk-to-yourself-do-you-refer-to-yourself-by-name/607475.md?page=2)