Do You Use The Same User Name In Other Internet Forums?

[Bartmanhomer]

I always use the same user name in all the internet forums that I go to. I know some people use a different user name for other reasons and stuff. So I'm asking everybody, do you use the same user name in other internet forums?

[Jack Squat]

I generally do use the same one. However, it does morph through time - so with this account being as old as it is, It's the only one I use Jack Squat under anymore.

My more recent accounts I use a different pseudonym, reflecting what was available at the time.

[Recherché]

I have a small pool of usernames I use based on what's available and occasionally when I don't want things to be connected together. For instance I don't particularly want my political views and pathfinder stuff associated together.

[Cockroach King]

I use different names if only because I'm overly paranoid and think someone would/could be tracking me.

[factotum]

I either use this or "d2factotum" on all forums I'm a member of except one, where I use my real name.

[Remmirath]

These days I do. I used to have a different username for every forum - or at least, every category of forums - that I signed up at, but it became annoying to keep track of, so about eight years ago I decided to just start using the same name everywhere. It's less of a hassle.

There are still one or two forums that I signed up at way back when which have different usernames, but most of those forums no longer exist at this point anyhow.

[sktarq]

its a pretty small pool.

usually involving a Greek or Roman historical/Mythical figure.

[Lissou]

I did, at the time I created this account. Since then, I've been using a different username, which I use everywhere, except here since my account predates that change.

[sleepy hedgehog]

I use the same name everywhere.
Then every few years choose a new name, and stop using my old ones.

[2D8HP]

Yes, I have used "2D8HP" elsewhere (if Dungeons & Dragons related) and also "Plumber" or something similar, as well as my first name.

[Jaxzan Proditor]

I like using the same name, with some variations, on the places I frequent. It makes it feel more like an actual name than just a pseudonym.

[snowblizz]

As far as I am able to I do use the same "name". And yes it upsets me when someone has stolen my name. Way back in my IRC days I had registered my nick with the servers so cold always ge it even. Though used another nick then. There's a certain satisfaction of logging in, and being able to type some commands and get your name back.



I use different names if only because I'm overly paranoid and think someone would/could be tracking me.
You aren't paranoid. They *are* tracking you. And having a different name on a forum doesn't stop it in the least. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple... and a number of much less savoury dataminers all keep tabs on as much as possible about you. You may change your screen name but the identifying information of your phone or computer is less easy to erase. The only way to really do it is to get a very opaque VPN and pray they won't let the people who really wants to to track you.

I'm sadly not neither joking nor trying to scare.

[TerrickTerran]

On a few other forums.

[Comrade]

I think I used it on one other forum I happened to frequent around the same time I made this account. I haven't used it since, though, and probably wouldn't choose this username if I were making my account now. Too many people getting the notion that I'm some kind of godless socialist.

[Narkis]

I used to, but I stopped after becoming worried about being doxed. This is the last forum where I'm still active with this nickname. I still use it for most games though.


You aren't paranoid. They *are* tracking you. And having a different name on a forum doesn't stop it in the least. Google, Facebook, Amazon, Microsoft, Apple... and a number of much less savoury dataminers all keep tabs on as much as possible about you. You may change your screen name but the identifying information of your phone or computer is less easy to erase. The only way to really do it is to get a very opaque VPN and pray they won't let the people who really wants to to track you.

I'm sadly not neither joking nor trying to scare.

Personally I'm resigned to them knowing everything about me. As you said, not much you can do without heading off the deep end with VPN, TOR, and the like. But keeping usernames (and emails) different is the bare minimum to stop some random internet psycho from discovering where you live and stalking you, threatening your family or phoning your job to get you fired. This is a far more plausible threat to my wellbeing than a corporation sending me targeted adds.

[Tyndmyr]

I use this one on a few forums and different thingies, solely because lazy.

I've started branching out, though. Reddit and spacebattles both have different usernames. I figure variety helps protect me from the inevitable data breach, and shared username/password combos result in a small hassle turning into a large hassle.

Obviously anything financial/professional has always had different credentials.

[ForzaFiori]

I use this essentially everywhere (including occasionally in real life - it was originally a nickname), with the obvious exception of things I need to be secure or require other things, like at banks, school, work, etc. It also helps that it's fairly unique, so I think the only time I wasn't able to get "ForzaFiori" exactly as my username is my email account. Apparently once you get to the level of users that google has, there's finally more than one person wanting to be called ForzaFiori.

[Reslain]

I try to use this nickname in other forums and the like, and it's almost always possible.

[Xania]

No, there are not a lot of sites where i have an account but my username is different in all of them.

[Kyrell1978]

Mostly yes, but there are a few exceptions.

[dps]

Pretty much use "dps" on all the forums I post on, except Consimworld (where I use my actual name) and a couple where "dps" was already taken when I registered.

[JMS]

I use JMS on most stuff, assuming I didn't register much earlier. It's a shortening of my first name, and also my initials

[RandomNPC]

Outside of the info stalking Google and the Five Eyes countries do (look it up, dystopian neato, if I do say so myself) I feel safe enough saying nobody is going to casually find to many of my accounts unless they're paying for the info. I know it can be done, just not super casually.

That being said, I know people who have the same name everywhere, and have even been sent credit card offers to get a "Doing business as" card with their online name on it.

I used to want to be known as the same thing everywhere, dunno what changed it.

[Kato]

Mostly, or more often this with an addition of 86 for my birth year especially in places where Kato is taken. Once in a while I come across a place where I need to further change it (e.g. steam) but in general if you want to stalk me search for Kato86. But I don't know why anyone would want to do this.

[Velaryon]

I've recycled usernames a few times, but I think this is the only place where I use Velaryon.

[Get]

This one is entirely new. But then I don't do forums that much, outside of reddit, and I've lost quite a few passwords to that one, and changed username as a consequence.

[Vizzerdrix]

Never. Always something completely different.

[austinhubbard]

I had stopped using my old username because many people started using. So, I started using different usernames on different internet forums. I think this seems to be good and I have a list of usernames I used for different forums. I love participating in discussions to learn some different kinds of stuff that I'm unfamiliar with.

[LaZodiac]

There is like a 90% chance that if you see a LaZodiac it is me.

[FaerieGodfather]

I use this handle on forums and my real name (Viktyr) on Discord.

[Mariele]

This is my real name. I used to use the same fake name for all the websites I went to, but nowadays I don't really visit websites or need usernames outside of things related to school/career (except for a few DIY blogs I follow and sometimes comment on), so I tend to just stick with my real name.

[PallElendro]

No, this name was just me trying to fit into a D&D-oriented community as a dumb 11 year old, but I'm not planning on changing it.

[Ak5520]

I always use the same user name in all the internet forums that I go to. I know some people use a different user name for other reasons and stuff. So I'm asking everybody, do you use the same user name in other internet forums?

Yes, I use same username everywhere because it help me to easily remember username,

[Aotrs Commander]

Yes. Everywhere.

[137beth]

My GitP username was the first internet username I had, and for a long time I used it on every website. Since 2006, I've had a few usernames that I would rotate between for new websites, occasionally dropping older usernames. I haven't used this one for any new site in a few years, but there are still many websites where I still have it because I signed up for them a long time ago.

[Wizard_Lizard]

You know, I always used to do that....
But recently I have stopped.
Probably something to do with me using the same password as well, and then my friends figuring out that password. I had to change ALL of them.

[Porkslope]

I used to, but then some drama happened on Forum A and I used Forum B to vent about it, how silly it was, and how dumb everyone was being. Then a mod on Forum A saw the post on Forum B and banned me for it. These days I try to come up with something different from my previous usernames or something that's very hard to search for, like an old or obscure meme (like this one). I've heard horror stories of mods on some sites who will search for your posts on other forums just to find an excuse to ban you for wrongthink, looking for matching usernames and email addresses in profiles.

[Knaight]

Knaight is just my nickname, and I tend to use it on forums. That said while I'm resigned to corporate surveillance from tech companies I'm a little less resigned to the whole phenomenon of employers doing internet research on things well beyond what's reasonably their business, so anywhere where I'm likely to get overtly political in less orthodox ways I usually have another layer of obscurity or so.

[Albion]

I've changed it all the time but not so much for the sake of security issues as for my fondness of variation. I'm actually quite paranoid, but most of the time I don't feel my neck is important enough for somebody to hurt. :smallsmile:

[Dagg3]

Nah I switch it up now and again but sometimes I cant be bothered thinking of another one.

[Wizard_Lizard]

I chose wizard lizard because it sounds fun to say.
I then made a dnd character for him.

[FinnLassie]

Oooh yeah. You can find plenty of stuff with my username.

I used to have different usernames for everything when I was a teenager, but now I'm just... eh. I've used FinnLassie/finnlassie for 8 years now, and it really... is me.

Also, it's very common that people actually think my name is Finn.

[factotum]

Also, it's very common that people actually think my name is Finn.

Even if they know you're Finnish, or does it usually click when they learn that detail?

[FinnLassie]

Even if they know you're Finnish, or does it usually click when they learn that detail?

"But I always thought your name is Finn! That's weird! What is your real name??"

Which I just don't understand, because the people that I know online don't even reveal their own actual names, ever. I always have to emphasise that this is my nickname online and they have no business knowing my actual name.

[Vinyadan]

"But I always thought your name is Finn! That's weird! What is your real name??"


"FN-2187. People I grew up with just call me Traitor, though."

[Peelee]

Oooh yeah. You can find plenty of stuff with my username.

I used to have different usernames for everything when I was a teenager, but now I'm just... eh. I've used FinnLassie/finnlassie for 8 years now, and it really... is me.

Also, it's very common that people actually think my name is Finn.

Do they think you have a dog named Jake?

[FinnLassie]

Do they think you have a dog named Jake?

I'm not sure I get the reference.

[Iruka]

I'm not sure I get the reference.

Animated series Adventure Time, starring Jake the dog and Finn the human.

[Peelee]

I'm not sure I get the reference.

My wife's a fan (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_Time).

[Vinyadan]

I would have thought of a dog named Lassie...

[FinnLassie]

FinnLassie - it's easy! I'm Finnish, and I'm a young maiden who has a special affection towards Scotland.

[Starwulf]

Barring a few exceptions, I've been Starwulf stretching back to 1996.

[Fyraltari]

Yes, except for YouTube where I use my real name because I hadn’t come up with a username yet and I can’t be bothered to check how to change it. I might decide to have other usernames further down the line, though.