# When Did It Become Normal To Bold Names In Threads On SDMB? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [November 4, 2006, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077 "2006-11-04T10:10:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/1 "2006-11-04T10:10:05Z")
Just wondering when it became normal here to say hello **Opal** , or whomever, and put their name in bold letters? I am on a few other boards and nobody does it there. Not that I think it is bad, and actually, I even do it on the other boards as I think it is a nice way to acknowledge someone you are quoting, or referring to - but still, how did this courtesy start, and is this only an SDMB thing? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/2 "2006-11-04T13:24:39Z")
As far as I know, & I’m a 99er, it has _always_ been a gesture of respect among SDMB Members. No more info that _that_, **DMark**. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SkipMagic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skipmagic/32/20706_2.png) [@SkipMagic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SkipMagic)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/3 "2006-11-04T13:28:07Z")
Sounds like a dandy ATMB thread to me. I’ll move it there for ya. ---
**Author:** ![Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tyrrell_mcallister/32/16772_2.png) [@Tyrrell\_McAllister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tyrrell_McAllister)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/4 "2006-11-04T14:03:08Z")
I think it’s a natural way to deal with the fact that many peoples’ user names are normal English words or even sentences. Bolding is an efficient visual cue that what you’re reading is a proper name rather than some phrase within the sentence. ---
**Author:** ![1010011010](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/1/ea666f/32.png) [@1010011010](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/1010011010)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/5 "2006-11-04T15:28:26Z")
Quote somebody. Their name is bolded by the vB back-end. I do it at other message boards, too. ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/6 "2006-11-04T15:54:40Z")
I never use the quote button and I used to bold user names before this place went to vB. I don’t remember whether I was fitting in with an established convention or not. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/7 "2006-11-04T16:11:47Z")
We have no rule about it. Do it if you want. Not if you don’t. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/8 "2006-11-04T16:20:24Z")
As may be, but it’s certainly a custom. **DMark** isn’t the first one I’ve seen mention it. I always thought it was for ease of scanning. By bolding handles it becomes easier for the reader to pick out when someone specific is being quoted or mentioned or whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/9 "2006-11-04T17:04:03Z")
I’ve found it’s easier to discover whether your name is mentioned in a thread when it’s embolded. However, definitely custom and certainly not rule… not even etiquette. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/10 "2006-11-04T17:19:41Z")
[QUOTE=TubaDiva] We have no rule about it. [/QUOTE] > [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > However, definitely custom and certainly not rule… I don’t think anyone thought otherwise. Of course, if anyone actually _did_ think they could be banned for failing to bold usernames, you’ve cleared that right up, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/11 "2006-11-04T18:09:25Z")
Whoa, **Q.E.D.** , why don’t you unwad your panties and tell us how you really feel? What’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/12 "2006-11-04T18:19:26Z")
Nothing bunched up twixt my cheeks, I assure you. It just seemed so…unnecessary to tell us that username bolding wasn’t a rule. Of course, it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that you’ve received countless emails asking exactly that, in which case, I withdraw my sarcasm. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2006, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/13 "2006-11-04T18:27:41Z")
It definitely predated us having board software that would automatically quote the post you’re replying to. Yes, we didn’t always have that. You used to have to copy (manually select, Command-C), hit the reply button, manually enter the [quote] tag, paste, manually enter the end-of-quote tag, and then type in your reply and hit the Submit button. And it was convention to bold other folks’ usernames back then. (I don’t recall seeing it done on the AOL board though) ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/14 "2006-11-04T18:44:01Z")
Given how many times reputedly intelligent people claim they somehow don’t know the Rules, I think it’s good for Tuba and Dex to reinforce what is and isn’t a Rule when a subject comes up. ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/15 "2006-11-04T18:50:41Z")
[QUOTE=Q.E.D.] Nothing bunched up twixt my cheeks, I assure you. It just seemed so…unnecessary to tell us that username bolding wasn’t a rule. Of course, it’s entirely within the realm of possibility that you’ve received countless emails asking exactly that, in which case, I withdraw my sarcasm. [/QUOTE] People ask the damndest things sometimes. Mostly it’s because they want to do the right thing, to be accepted, to be good. They don’t know, they don’t assume. A kind word in those situations is the best thing. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/16 "2006-11-04T21:14:32Z")
[QUOTE=Una Persson] I think it’s good for Tuba and Dex to reinforce what is and isn’t a Rule when a subject comes up. [/QUOTE] Yep. That should be a rule. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2006, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/17 "2006-11-04T23:39:41Z")
[QUOTE=DMark] I am on a few other boards and nobody does it there. [/QUOTE] It’s the norm on the baord I run, but mainly because I used it out of habit from SDMB posting. ---
**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:** [November 4, 2006, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/18 "2006-11-04T23:48:14Z")
I do recall someone getting downright pissed off because another poster, with whom they were debating, did not bother to make their name bold when quoting them. I guess if I could find that thread, we’d have the answer to when it became bold to normal names in threads on SDMB… ---
**Author:** ![Cazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cazzle/32/75_2.png) [@Cazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cazzle)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/19 "2006-11-05T00:43:13Z")
[QUOTE=C K Dexter Haven] I’ve found it’s easier to discover whether your name is mentioned in a thread when it’s embolded. [/QUOTE] Bolding embiggens the smallest username. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2006, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077/20 "2006-11-05T03:09:41Z")
To be fair to **Q.E.D.** , **Tuba and Dexter** ’s posts did seem a little on the defensive side. **DMark** asked “why is it normal to” not “why are we forced to”. Also, he’s been here for a few years, I think he might have noticed a lack of official warnings about the issue. Anywhistle, I always assumed that the custom just derived from the newspaper or magazine style where the first instance of a person’s name in an article is bolded. Personally, I wish it was more the custom to just doing it the first time here as well. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-it-become-normal-to-bold-names-in-threads-on-sdmb/379077.md?page=2)