Guide to Choosing a Username for your Account

[Reishen]

Usernames: Don't Pick Something Stupid.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Bottom Line How to pick a good username and avoid a really stupid one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your username is a first impression to other people; it can say hey, I'm cool or it can say I'm a semi-literate mouthbreather or it can even say I like pie. The goal when choosing a username is to draw people in and make them want to talk to you.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are several things you should and should not do (do's and don'ts is a stupid phrase by the way, avoid it at all costs) when considering a username. Before I outline some of them, it's worth mentioning that nothing is universal. These are general suggestions, and because of developmental and cultural differences some people view some things differently than the rest of us. We'll call them special people. So, you may not agree with all of these points, or they may not apply or make sense to you, but that just means you're special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avoid numbers. This is the first rule of a good username. Don't slap a bunch of numbers on the end of it. This makes it look like you're some AOL user or something. You may be saying Hey, I use AOL, and that's exactly what I'm talking about. Putting a few numbers at the end of your name gives the impression that you're boring and chose a name someone else already took, and you're so lazy that you can't think of a better way to differentiate yourself from someone else. The use of the underscore aka space is an effective way to differentiate a username.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The worst possible use of numbers in your name is adding your birth year at the end. If you're MarkJ1988 (Made Up) Then we all know you are boring and generally canÃÆââââ¬Å¡Ã¬Ã¢ââ¬Å¾Ã¢t be bothered with your username.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also avoid using numbers to stand for letters, words or as parts of words. That's okay on custom license plates, but you have more than eight characters to work with. If I see another sk8fr3k I think I'll have to kill them. Related, leetspeak is only acceptable when used sarcastically; if you use it and actually think it's cool, you're also special.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The exception to this rule is when the number actually means something in the context of the name. For example, the name FilmAt11 is a very good one, and the 11 is okay because it actually completes the witty phrase film at eleven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Avoid pop culture references. This includes music, movies, video games, television shows, and in the future.. Naming yourself after a movie or TV show automatically stigmatizes you and makes the rest of us assume that you're a zombie for loving a brainless form of entertainment so much. There are differing levels of film and television name use. WillNGrace, for example, is a terrible, terrible name, and anyone who uses it should be forced to watch a seventh grade production of King Lear for eternity. On the other hand, THX1138 and Nexus6 are both examples of acceptable, though still fairly cheesy, names based on movies, as well as names with acceptable use of numbers. You may not get those, and that's exactly why they are acceptable - but still mediocre.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naming yourself after a band or musical artist is perhaps the worst decision you can make. Choosing a song for your username may be okay; off-limits are top 100 hits or anything my mother would recognize. If you're going to choose a song, choose a fairly obscure but good example from a group/artist you like. This will identify you to other fans, while others probably won't recognize it so you won't turn away people who think that music is rubbish. Which is most people, because let's face it, the music you like really is rubbish. :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Naming yourself for a video game is perhaps the worst offense, aside from using a random number as above (and if you combine the two, well, at least you could get hired as a Wal-Mart greeter). This instantly identifies you as a fanperson (I've been informed that fanboy is non-PC), and even though video games have gained mainstream appeal for the moment, it's uber-geeky to name yourself after one. I really feel bad for the future generation of children who are all named 'Cloud', 'Squall', and 'Aeris'. Whatever you do, do not use a game or a reference to a game in your name. FinalF2264 is not acceptable. Chrono12 is not acceptable. Pong is not acceptable. Dig_Dug and Q_Bert are. That's it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are no exceptions to these rules.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pronounce your name. When most normal people read, they have a voice in their head that mentally speaks the words. This is a fascinating bit of human psychology, but for our purposes it means that you need to consider what your name sounds like. Say your name a few times, and, first of all, make sure it sounds like you want it to. Don't pick DealDough for example. If you're good with impressions, try a southern and cockney accent too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Too bad. Unfortunately, if you're reading this you probably have already picked a username, so this isn't going to be of much use to you. This guide means there is hope! Hope for me, hope for you, hope for a better future! Epinions can be a land of hilk and money, terrible usernames are a thing of the past. You can help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For anyone I have offended in anyway im sorry this is only my view of

 

 

 

making a good Username :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

UPDATES AND SUGGESTIONS FROM OTHER PLAYERS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's another good tip: use foreign languages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A tanker/hybrid I work on occasionally is called "Mischlings". "Mischling" is German for hybrid; I added the "s" because I thought it sounded better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I actually like this account name; 308 is my signature of sorts (weird, I know), but in spite of the numbers at the end, I like it...

[easonadam]

interesting topic for a guide. mainly enjoyed the poke of fun at the PC bigrade \

[blowtoes]

Nice guide, I agree, it just annoys me pures making names like "pure pker24" or something like that. No wonder my name is blowtoes :wink:

[Reishen]

I feel your words.... Thanks for compliment blood, sweat and tears went into this. :shock:

[MarketplaceFad]

I was seriously laughing through the entire thing! That was a great guide! And most of it actually made sense too! I already have a username, and it would have been nice to have used this first :P. Now, I'm going to try and pronounce Fadfdfd mentally to myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DealDough. I gotta get that name :lol:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You are a very funny person, good guide =D>

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And we have too many guides now a day :P

[Menti]

Great guide; very humourous and with good information. I made an account called Generic Sod and Mr Hackett (Hackett happens to be my surname)--am I cool now?

[muggiwhplar]

If you're reading this guide, don't you already have a username? >_>

[slayershunt]

About time someone said that, stupid idiots going round. like whats his name now "pure_mageuk" how unimaginative can you get?

[Coandca5]

Pure Mageuk is a tip.it admin..rofl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coandca5 is acceptable because no one knows what Coandca stands for :wink:

[hellbellz]

Pure Mageuk is a tip.it admin..rofl

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coandca5 is acceptable because no one knows what Coandca stands for :wink:

*ahem* Coheed & Cambria. :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Honostly, why's there a guide needed to know pick a name?

[Nero]

Quite a funny guide :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I like my little 668 though :(

[The_Dragon_Reborn]

Good Guide.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Mains name is Legolas x0x. The only reason I had it was because I was planning on making a pking team with my friends, who would make accounts named Gandalf x0x, Aragorn x0x, and Gimli x0x. They made them, but lost interests. (All Gimli was made).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I also have and account named Ihavecrabs81. I think that balances out the fact the my name is breaking 2 of your rules.

[redfrog111]

what do you think of my name red frog111

[Fekambard]

Good guide but I wont be using it...Got a account already! :wink:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

9/10 (If you want a rating!) :

[Ltje]

Cool guide!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A better layout would help the reading a bit, but overall it's ok. :-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And the info in it is good. :-)

[LeggoMyEggo]

Wow! This is a really good guide. I saw the title and im like this is going to be a stupid guide, but its accutally REALLY good!

[Guest sandhill5]

This is great! Pures' generic usernames should be a thing of the past. I applaud you! =D>

[mithos23132]

This is the best guide ever made! My name does have numbers, but only 3 people have identified the video game that my name comes from! (google it if your curious). Great work! easily 11\10

[Irish_Geek]

Good, humorous guide. But I highly dowt(I have NO idea how to spell that word!!!) anyone who doesn't have a username is looking at fansites allready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Btw, I don't like numbers at the end of names either...When you meet them, your like "Oh, so your the 11,523 Hero, huh?"

[jwrm22]

it doesnt mater how your acc is called... if its not xiao4343ac (most bots are called xiao (numbers)aa etc...)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

or just play rs till you have a briliant idee... :thumbsup:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[hide=just made a new acc... ill make it a hybrid... can you geuss his name?]hytbrid :P[/hide]

[Jeffery]

good guide i dont care if my names jimbob131190 = nick name and date of birth got a problem with it kill me

[HellsBells]

It's almost as if you've heard all of the names of my main and other accounts and decided to write a guide about how you shouldn't pick those types of usernames. :cry:

[Mischlings]

Here's another good tip: use foreign languages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A tanker/hybrid I work on occasionally is called "Mischlings". "Mischling" is German for hybrid; I added the "s" because I thought it sounded better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I actually like this account name; 308 is my signature of sorts (weird, I know), but in spite of the numbers at the end, I like it...

[Cryptogram]

LMAO

[baalboy5]

ia

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

baalboy5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

patheic? It sounds cool to me and not slot of people know of the game

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and it is the only baalboy in rs!