How did you come up with your username ??

squidgirl · Post by **squidgirl** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:19 pm

Long ago and far away, during my urban adolescence, when I was an honors student by day and graffitti-tagging punkette by night, I chose "squid" as my graffitti tag because it a) it seemed obscure and enigmatic and b) I'd just heard that "squid" was some kind of outdated slang for an academic geek, which seemed appropriate.

So "squidgirl" came to mind when I was, of course, searching for a username that was un-taken on some forum ...during the '90's, of course, isn't there something so very 90's about the name???

Anyway, it turns out that it's being untaken something of a fluke, though, because in a surprising number of places I've found "squidgirl" to be taken already ... is there perhaps another meaning of squid to which I'm happily oblivious?

Or can I just chalk it up to the obscure and enigmatic appeal of cephalopods?

straycat82 · Post by **straycat82** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:42 pm

I've always been a big fan of the Stray Cats (the band, not homeless felines) and when I created my first email account I was quite obsessed with rockabilly music (still am but my tastes have since expanded beyond). I don't remember the first dozen of names I tried before that to find they were already in use but I got tired of thinking so when "straycat" was taken I finally settled for putting the numbers after it. I use it for pretty much everything because my fingers are used to it.

Coffee · Post by **Coffee** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:46 pm

squidgirl wrote:is there perhaps another meaning of squid to which I'm happily oblivious?

In the US military "squid" is a term used by members of the other branches when referring to a member of the Navy.

Denny · Post by **Denny** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 2:49 pm

Cofaidh wrote:
squidgirl wrote:is there perhaps another meaning of squid to which I'm happily oblivious?
In the US military "squid" is a term used by members of the other branches when referring to a member of the Navy.

well, she was happily oblivious...

Jack · Post by **Jack** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 3:20 pm

Tyler Morris wrote:"Tyler Morris" is one of the names I go by, yet it is not my name.

I have a friend named Tom McGann. Actually, that's the name he goes by. His real name (first and last) are Irish Gaelic and long and difficult to pronounce. He hates them so has people to call him Tom instead (which is not related to the real name in any way!)...

WhistlingArmadillo · Post by **WhistlingArmadillo** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 5:24 pm

"Whistling" seemed to make sense now that I'm trying to play the whistle. At this point, though, I could have chosen "RecordingArmadillo" ("RecorderingArmadillo"?) or "HarpingArmadillo" depending on my mood...

cowtime · Post by **cowtime** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 7:23 pm

crookedtune wrote:I play a lot of oldtime music. At the time I started using this name, I was learning a few weird Appalachian fiddle tunes. and wrestling with their odd structures.

Around here we've got an old time "music trail" called "The Crooked Road".
It starts at Ralph Stanley's , goes through The Carter Family Fold and ends up in Ferrum VA.

http://www.thecrookedroad.org/

gonzo914 · Post by **gonzo914** » Mon Jun 11, 2007 11:57 pm

'gonzo' is, of course, not my real first name, but '914' is my real last name . . . sort of. When my family came to this country, our family surname was 'CMXIV', but my great-great grandfather thought it sounded too Italian, so he anglicized it to '900', rounding down in the process. My grandfather restored it to the original sometime in the 1930s but decided to modernize the numerals because he thought it would get him into the country club. It didn't work, but he kept the '914' because it was easier to write.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:10 am

Wombats are a bit pudgy, look kinda cute and cuddly—which of course, they are—but are actually much more tenacious than they look.

I'm very fond of wombats and proud to be one.

Despite rumours to the contrary, the fact that a wombat eats roots and leaves has absolutely nothing to do with it.

On another board I'm Wind Sock but that, as you Merkins would say, is a whole 'nother thang.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Tue Jun 12, 2007 12:12 am

squidgirl wrote:
So "squidgirl" came to mind when I was, of course, searching for a username that was un-taken on some forum ...during the '90's, of course, isn't there something so very 90's about the name???

I rather like the sound of 'Nicole Squidman.' There's something 90s about that, too.

burnsbyrne · Post by **burnsbyrne** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 12:26 pm

My grandfather was born in Dublin with the family name of Byrne. He changed it when he emigrated to Burns. Nobody knows why. Thus I am BurnsByrne.
Mike

Flyingcursor · Post by **Flyingcursor** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 2:58 pm

I'm flyingcursor because I type real fast. Maybe.

sbhikes · Post by **sbhikes** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 3:35 pm

Gonzo is the name of our project tracking tool at work and I don't believe for a minute that 914 is a name.

I like to use sbhikes because I have a web site called Santa Barbara Hikes. If you ever come to Santa Barbara and don't mind mountains, come hiking! We have some of the best hiking anywhere and lots of it.

Bloomfield · Post by **Bloomfield** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:45 pm

gonzo914 wrote:'gonzo' is, of course, not my real first name, but '914' is my real last name . . . sort of. When my family came to this country, our family surname was 'CMXIV', but my great-great grandfather thought it sounded too Italian, so he anglicized it to '900', rounding down in the process. My grandfather restored it to the original sometime in the 1930s but decided to modernize the numerals because he thought it would get him into the country club. It didn't work, but he kept the '914' because it was easier to write.

Nice one, gonzo. Habemus papam.

Lambchop · Post by **Lambchop** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 12:06 pm

I thought about using something made-up, but nothing seemed to fit.