How to Pick a Screen Name

The screen name you choose is the Internet community's biggest clue about what kind of person you are. A random collection of letters and numbers won't be memorable, and by the same token, calling yourself UglyWoman12 won't make a good impression. There are a variety of factors to take into account when picking a screen name.

Instructions

1. Think about the community you'll be using your screen name in. If it's a dating website, you probably want to identify your gender through your screen name, whether it's by using a gender specific first name--whether it's your true first name or not--or by using "man," "boy," "woman" or "girl" in the screen name. Implying that you're attractive can't hurt in this situation either, so go ahead and be SexyGentleman or PrettyLady.

2. Decide if it's wise to reveal any aspect of your true identity. A common screen name choice is to use some part of your given name and your zip code, like Lisa19072. This choice is fine if you're on a local community chat board, but be wary of taking a name like this into an international board in case a stalking situation should arise.

3. Consider childhood nicknames, favorite movie characters, pet names, sport nicknames, frequent travel destinations--even your high school mascot. Also consider how these names might be perceived by people who don't know you. It's important to find a name that's somewhat special to you--as long as this name doesn't send the wrong message.

4. Make sure you have a non-embarrassing explanation for how you came up with your screen name in case you're ever asked by board members or even family members who want to know what you call yourself online. Using the nickname your college girlfriend gave you might not be a wise choice if your wife discovers your screen name.

5. Attach memorable numbers to your screen name to make it unique if the screen name without numbers is not available. Choose a series of the same number, like 333, rather than a jumble of different numbers. Or use multiples of 1000. Your birthday might be special to you, but 1125 will just be a stream of four random numbers to someone who doesn't know you.

Tips & Warnings

• Keep a list of your screen names, passwords and their corresponding websites somewhere safe, like an address book. If you frequent multiple message boards, it's easy to forget your name.

• Avoid using names referring to your sexuality outside of dating websites. It's hard to be taken seriously on a money management chat room if your name is BigBoobs36 or HotStuffHunk.

• Exercise caution when picking a screen name that refers to your ethnicity if you'll be on a mainstream, international website. Racists lurk everywhere and you don't want to end up being cyber-stalked by someone on a racial-cleansing mission.