Jezebel
Today's Times of London reports that if you're looking for love online you've got to choose your screen name carefully. According to study by Dr. Monica Whitty, a lecturer in cyber-psychology at Nottingham Trent University, playful and flirtatious names like "fun2bwith" or "imsweet" were ranked top by men and women as those they would most like to contact. Close behind were names that were physically descriptive, like "cutie" or "blueeyes." Less appealing? Money-grubbing names like "wealthyandwise," "lovemyporsche" amd "entrepreneur." "We know from other research that women are generally attracted by wealth, but it seems they are well aware people embellish themselves online and it makes them suspicious," Dr. Whitty says. As we all know, dating isn't the only place one uses a screen name: Monikers are also used for IMing and to comment on blogs. Ahem.
Is there anything weirder than meeting someone you think you like and then finding out their IM name is "mansondude13"? Or "diztieblondie"? What about when a commenter on a blog has a screen name like "manhattangrrl" but lives in Ohio? What is the ideal screen name? Something simple? Straightforward? Meaningful? Witty? Descriptive? How do you choose? And, knowing that those few letters represent you — what do you think your screen name says about you?
Comments
My screenname says that I love Sonic Youth and therefore am awesome.
mr.veryhard's screenname from a couple of days ago shows that he was overcompensating for ....something.
Mine came from some branding shit by my computer. We have customer "archetypes" that we refer to when we're developing product.
I'm lazy.
My screenname says that I have a cat named Petunia, who is adorable, and that it's hard to find a screenname that's not taken on Gawker.
What about some of the dudes' online dating site names? I can think of half a dozen (real ones) that are guaranteed to shut down any hope of a response.
I chose my nickname, but I guess a more descriptive name would be "southernsmartasswholikesithardandfast".
Dude, it's right there. I'm a lady. I like Skittles. If that doesn't work for you, dudes, go find Whorey Licoricetits.
mine came from the thing I was looking at the time...my lipgloss
My screen name means I like kittens. Fluffy kittens. Also my name is Kat.
mine screams "last one on the bandwagon".
Mine is a nickname my friends gave me that sounds like my real name. And my favorit number.
I know I can't be friends with girls who put any sort of physical description and/or material thing into theirs. My gag reflex is automatic on that one.
In a previous lifetime my screenname was flytaurusenchantress. It was a reference to Mos Def's Ms. Phatbooty, but nobody got it.
I just hope no one ever again takes my name as an endorsement for polygamy.
Mine says that I will punch you in the face if you say anything mysoginistic or religious - also that I'm very easy to get along with and that I love kittens (that last part is is subliminal - can you see it?)
My screenname tells you my name and where I live. Maybe I am offering up too much info, now that I think about it.
I'd rather die than have the screenname "iamsweet".
Anyway, I just like my name for some reason, so I use it as much as possible, truly sad I won't be getting an interwebz dates because of it.
that's why i use silky jumbo. i am both. i love lotions and i'm (cough) jumbo.
My screenname would be smiled upon by this study because it denotes my blue eyes. Along with one of my favorite music albums (Chris Isaak--Forever Blue). And the fact that I am diagnosed as a major depressive. And the fact that I love the Walkin' in Memphis song about blue suede shoes. Etc.
@BAngieB: goodness gracious!
You might as well go on and change it now, because I'm calling you Whorey Licoricetits from no on.
My screename says I'm too fucking lazy to come up with a screenname.
Sigh.
You can tell by my screenname that I am completely devoid of any creativity whatsoever. Also I am a female. And is that "manhattangrrl" someone on Jezebel? Snap!!!! I am still, btw, looking for baking tips!!! I'm trying to make a blueberry pie later on today, any thoughts? I know this is not really related to this post, but whatevs...
My name is Kelsea, my alterego is a bone structure forming nutrient. Duh.
my name says that i like leggings, pills, and knife play.
When people actually meet me and find out that I'm not wholly evil, they're pleasantly surprised. I'm hedging bets.
People often think that my name is Marshall and that I'm 47. Where is the logic in using your age in a screen name that will theoretically follow you for at least a few birthdays? 47 is totally the quintessential random number of the universe! And everyone should know that.
At least I'm not still going by orange_pop88 (birthyears, acceptable!) or BilboBaggins217, because, you know, those indicate that I'm crazy.
Obviously, I believe the ideal screen name is one which contains Beatles song lyrics. That is why I give props to my fellow Beatle peeps like Polythene Pam and Mean Mlle Mustard.
I tend to stay away from any screen name with hot, sexy, cute, hunk, and the like. But I guess that's my personality, I wouldn't ever put anything like that in my screenname and wouldn't want to date anyone that would. I'm pretty damn introverted...
Ughh. I used to know so many people with screen names like "xoxo*babigurll*xoxo" or one 10th grader with one that's like "x0x0sexii_mama_69x0x0". Or "lil'sexybeachbabii." Or "x0x0Lil_italian_mamax0x0". Or "lil blonde qt". The list goes on.
Vomittttt......
P.S. If your sn is "Ilovemyporsche" you should probably run said porsche off a cliff. I should make mine Ilovemy97jeepcherokeewithbrakesthatonlyworksometimesandnoairconditioning.
@amoureuse is here because of Ashley!: No on answered your 911! I heart teh Mos Def!
I fucking hate creating screen names. I go blank, and every single thing I come up with looks incredibly douchey as soon as I enter it. It's the same feeling as reading your diary from when you were 15, only with screen names that feeling comes immediately after you hit accept.
Why RosyCheeks? Because I like my butt spanked for being a douche.
i love larry david, and also have no enthusiasm for anything
My cat was sleeping in next room when I made up my screen name.
My screen name is my actual name, because it helps to remind me not to say anything on the internet that I wouldn't scream at the top of my lungs in a crowded mall.
My IM screen-name is the name of a character in a comic book that I never wrote.
@ineffable.me: Why, whatever do you mean?
Part of my name is my pet's name, and you know, she's not using it online so I figured I might as well.
Hm, radio personalities and booze...
It's just something I say all the time, though there should probably should be some more h's. Also, the 'yeah' could be replaced with a 'man', because I say that a lot too.
Mine is the name of the woman who modeled for the painting I use as my avatar, which is my favorite painting. Oh, and she was a 19th century Parisian musician and painter, something I hope I was in a previous life.
I like noise.
mine says that i love the movie, um, annie hall... and most other woody allen films at that.
my AOL screenname, however, i've had since i was about 11 and it was based on a nickname that stemmed from my middle name (my mom's maiden name), followed by my bday.. that all got terribly confusing and i always felt like i was being very cumbersome when explaining it to whomever asked about its origins. oh well.
I think my screenname says that I believe in hard work and ambition. That my drive can be attributed to my desire to be better than other people and that I show contempt for those who have wealth and popularity but don't appreciate it.
I think it also says that I don't put up with meddlers. I don't appreciate those who try to interfere with destiny. You see, you can't interfere with destiny. That's why it's destiny. And if you try to interfere, the same thing's going to happen anyway, and you'll just suffer.
@BAngieB: See? Welcome to the dark side, young jedi.
Mine lets you know I had an Apple computer back in the before time, before the pretty colors and sweet toys made it the hippest toy to have. Back when we essentially lived in the ghetto of computers. Though I guess if we were to be more accurate about who I am...shit, it's still the same. Damn. How did that happen?
Mine says that I got too attached to a character I made up for CNJezebel.
[www.twice-shy.com]
i'm tryin to meet kim gordon.
@misssgolightly:
"If you love it so much why don't you MARRY IT?"
My screen names are always obscure song titles, because that's how I roll. Also, I am uncreative.
My freshman year, they sent out the packet with our future roommates' contact info, and my roommate's email was something insufferably girly-sounding. That sent up one red flag. The other emerged when she told me her AIM name was UlTiMaTeFLiRt##. Both of these red flags held true. So there is some merit to judging by screen name, I guess.
(The ## things are where numbers once were -- I dislike my ex-roommate, but not enough to blare her contact info to the internet.)
Mine is the beginning of a phrase I say very often since I am clumsy (...I can't have nice things). Looking at it now though, i think i will add the ...to it so I don't seem like a know-it-all (THIS is why!)
@Itzpapalotl: Isn't "Itzpapalotl" an Aztec Goddess that ruled over the heaven of dead babies? I imagine that this would put off potential suitors.
Mine is an ironic comment on my current socioeconomic status. And sometimes it depresses me and I contemplate changing it. Other times it amuses me, especially since it seemed that at first, people thought it was my actual name. As far as I know, no one has figured out just whose name it is. Or if they have, they haven't said.
My favorite, though, is Michael Scott choosing "littlekidlover" because he said he wanted to show women where his priorities were. Most awesome joke ever.
mincepie isn't partcularly sexy, but i did meet mr mincepie aka squarepeg on the internets :)
Mine is a reflection of how important my city is to me and also my unoriginality. Also, I am old and new to this blogging thing.
@BAngieB: I do love licorice almost as much as Skittles...
@Jezebabe...is a stern and angry midget!!!!: Use vodka instead of water when making the pie crust. The alcohol evaporates, while baking, making for a flakey, nummy crust. Also, be sure to put foil over the edges of the crust so they don't burn.
LightTreason means I watch too much AD. HackTheBone means I watch too much Simpsons. JessicaLovejoy, ditto.
So all in all, my screennames mean "Jesus Christ, this bitch watches a lot of TV."
Mine reveals that I like Audrey Hepburn and may or may not be funny looking.
Mine says I am a piece of meat. And also fried potatoes.
@RosyCheeks: well said re: the hateable task of creating screennames, as well as reading old diary entries (cringe to the nth degree).