My username is my first name and the year I was born
I’m thinking this has to be more about the trolls than about the regulars here. Once someone who called him/herself “lizzy_skank_hoe” up and flamed me completely unprovoked, saying I was “a hoar” because I have four children. Uh, okay…all the children belong to my husband, so I don’t really think THAT insult applies… Anyway I reported the incident to the Admin and they took care of it in pretty short order. I’ve occasionally seen people with usernames like “dumbnames” go in and suggest all kinds of idiotic things like Carburetor. It’s just to make fun of us, (as if harassing the people they think are losers makes them better people) and it’s best to report them when you see them. Otherwise, if it’s an actual real regular around here (and it’s generally easy to tell by the number of posts they have), just put them on your ignore list.
Honestly, I don’t give much thought to usernames. I took a favorite tree - maple - and put “southern” in front of it because just “maple” was already taken.
My user name is the scientific name for the Mourning Cloak butterfly. It’s significance to me is that I have had 6 pregnancy losses at various stages and one mythos is that butterflies carry the spirits of the dead to the afterlife. They also signify rebirth. So, for me, it symbolizes my mourning for the losses I’ve had and the rejoicing of the 2 little lives I have created.
I remember that guy. It is indeed a guy. He followed me here from imdb for insulting [name]Lindsay[/name] Lohan. Actually, he followed me to any site that I had a username including an old myspace account. [name]Lizzy[/name] is me. My middle name is [name]Elizabeth[/name].
[name]Red[/name] [name]Robin[/name] is a nickname a lot of my friends call me because my first name is [name]Robin[/name].
My username is obviously not my name or any names I plan to use on future children - it’s just what I am. I’m an oboe player, plus everything looks better with a “1” on the end.
I think a lot of the posters are missing the original intent of the post. It is entitled Name Choices AND Usernames. A lot have just commented why they choose their username. To be honest, I thought the originator’s mommydearest username was one that I wouldn’t have chosen.
When I see some proclamation that they’ve never run into another (blank popular name) for their son/daughter and he/she’s just in sixth grade or (God bless them since I was once too) a barely out of being an undergrad with writing ambitions, I’d be hesitant of such personal experience advice as well. I tend to look at the numbers for my country, state and even various time periods (year, decade) to say something’s overused.
Anyway, I always look at the name choices other Berries have. If they’re still loving names that I liked in the past such that I mentioned earlier in this thread ([name]Jack[/name], [name]Isabel[/name], [name]Rose[/name], and [name]Henry[/name]) when I was in high school decades ago, I’ll take their suggestions with a grain of salt. Names lists often show a facon de vivre and I suppose I live differently.
I don’t know what you mean by “off-putting usernames.” Examples please?
In any case, my name is pretty self-explanatory. I’m a writer, and I was probably cranky when I made up the username. Pretty simple.
My dears, I wouldn’t individually name usernames that are off-putting. You know them and I know them. Sometimes people just put more effort on the display of their chosen names and not the content of them. Questionable avatars and profile pics are another red flag for usernames and their lists that wouldn’t appeal to me. Our styles will probably clash if you mention some movie, book, music, or tv show that really doesn’t blend with my iPod, Netflix queue, or reading lists. Darlings, my style is no better than your own charming little selves. Sometimes you love stripes, while other moments you like paisley but I wouldn’t wear them together. All the sci-fi/fantasy authors of the world even Rowling have no hold on the choice I name my children or even pets. When other dears bother me on here, I just realize [name]Pam[/name] and [name]Linda[/name] are the only experts here. Why bother with the ignore list sweeties, since all the frustration on forums provides a catalyst for meditation, yoga, and pilates.
basicsand and mommydearest sound like the same person to me. Confrontational in a sticky sweet way (especially you mommydearest, you do know calling adults dears and little lambs is rude and condescending, no?), apparently big fans of [name]Linda[/name] and [name]Pam[/name] and their opinions and books and blog posts, and an odd grasp of English. You both structure your thoughts similarly. I keep noticing you both posting in the same threads, often in support of each other, or to clarify what the other meant. Interesting. If you’re not sockpuppets, perhaps long lost twins?
Regardless, I don’t think there’s a lot to support your theory. From the sounds of it, most users picked a user name based on a nickname, or their actual name, and it doesn’t have much to do with the sort of name they’d have on their list. In some cases, user names are picked for the love of something. Mine, for example, was picked because I adore redwood trees. Some of my best memories were in redwood groves. I suppose from that you could infer that I enjoy nature, which I do, and my name lists probably further that assumption. I also enjoy other styles, though. I like sleek names, old world names, a few of the classics, some place names, and of course mythological and literature inspired names. My point is: I love names, plural. If one were to discount everything I had to say because they found my username off-putting (??) or they thought I hadn’t put enough effort into it, well, okay. It won’t keep me up at night.
I think you’re setting yourself up for self-fulfilling prophecies… by putting so much stock in usernames, you’re already judging people, and therefore their posts. Of course if you hate their usernames you’ll hate what they say, if that means so much to you.
My user name has to do with my love of words and language and culture, and I felt quite clever when I came up with it. But I don’t see it as a end-all be-all label for all my opinions… it’s just a handle.
Yes, this occurred to me, as well. Troll, maybe?? 
I’m not sure whether I should be flattered or offended. If you notice when and where our username names were created it’s years apart. Why would you be on here if you’re not a fan of [name]Linda[/name] and [name]Pam[/name]? I did mention in an earlier posts to follow all my comments which you can with any user. I’m sure you meant well.
Loving your theory and username explanation. As for my username- though I’m sure you don’t care- is just based on my initials. And I thought bear sounded cute on the end.
Darlings, I must act like a lady and end this.