Should you use your full name as a username?

  • Steve's question on Forums in your resume/cv hit close to something I've been pondering for a while now.

    My username is not my full name, and so to take advantage of any worthwhile posting I've done here (assuming there has been any), I'd have to reference the username I used in various forums. Does it make more sense to use my real name when setting up accounts at SSC and elsewhere, so as to build upon that professional image, or does that not really matter?

    It seems to me that it could (potentially) be interpreted as a confidence and professionalism factor, showing true transparency as to who was posting and what they knew/didn't know.

    Not that those of us who hide behind pseudonyms are trying to get away with anything . . . 😛

    What are your thoughts?

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    How best to post your question[/url]
    How to post performance problems[/url]
    Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

    "stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

  • This is what I have done, at my own risk... (see some bull**it answers I threw in some threads... ;-))

    There are pros and cons, but I didn't think about it when I chose my username: I did so because I usually do it in every place I create an account.

    So... now: what's your name jcrawf02?

    -- Gianluca Sartori

  • Jon Crawford, or Jonathan Crawford, long version. Unfortunately not as unique as Gianluca Sartori, but the only one I got. 😀

    ---------------------------------------------------------
    How best to post your question[/url]
    How to post performance problems[/url]
    Tally Table:What it is and how it replaces a loop[/url]

    "stewsterl 80804 (10/16/2009)I guess when you stop and try to understand the solution provided you not only learn, but save yourself some headaches when you need to make any slight changes."

  • I think that really comes down to a personal choice. When I registered on SSC, I just decided it was easier to use my name. Plus, I couldn't think of a "good" username and didn't have a nickname that I could use either.

  • I usually use the nickname of Redbaron for anything that is not informational... (Like games) but for everything else I use my full name. My way of thinking is "What you see is what you get" 🙂

    -Roy

  • jcrawf02 (6/9/2009)


    Jon Crawford, or Jonathan Crawford, long version. Unfortunately not as unique as Gianluca Sartori, but the only one I got. 😀

    Not so unique in Italy... 😀

    http://www.paginebianche.it/execute.cgi?ver=default&font=default&btt=1&ts=101&cb=8&l=it&mr=10&rk=&om=&qs=Sartori&qsn=Gianluca&dv=&ind=

    -- Gianluca Sartori

  • Gianluca Sartori (6/9/2009)


    This is what I have done, at my own risk... (see some bull**it answers I threw in some threads... ;-))

    There are pros and cons, but I didn't think about it when I chose my username: I did so because I usually do it in every place I create an account.

    So... now: what's your name jcrawf02?

    The same here however I use Caddre on the Microsoft forums because I am a developer who write both C# and SQL and very opinionated.

    :Whistling:

    Kind regards,
    Gift Peddie

  • I use "GSquared" because it's a nickname I ended up with in 9th grade algebra, based on my initials. Nothing to hide, nothing to show, just more fun that way. (I know, I have a weird sense of "fun".)

    - Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
    Property of The Thread

    "Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon

  • I started out using various nicknames, but when I published my first article with Steve, he asked me to change my nickname to my real name... and so it has stayed. Since then I've just taken to using it on most professional sites. There are a few where I've still got a nickname.

    The key to using a nickname is to use it everywhere. You just need to have an accessible association point so everyone knows that "SQL Hottie" or whatever is really Racer X.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

  • I don't think it matters much. Unless you're very careful pseudonym's not going to hide who you are. Just need one place that links pseudonym with real name. If you start writing articles, blog or start presenting that'll likely happen quickly.

    I'd give a link to my profile either way. Makes it easier for the manager to find, and I would want to make things easier for them. If it's hard they may not bother and that wouldn't be in my favour.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • Grant Fritchey (6/9/2009)


    The key to using a nickname is to use it everywhere. You just need to have an accessible association point so everyone knows that "SQL Hottie" or whatever is really Racer X.

    Pretty much what I do. I've used GilaMonster on every single forum that I've ever posted on, including the non-SQL ones. Does mean that anyone curious can find my interests if they search enough, but no big deal there. Nothing that I'd be embarrassed about if it became public.

    Gail Shaw
    Microsoft Certified Master: SQL Server, MVP, M.Sc (Comp Sci)
    SQL In The Wild: Discussions on DB performance with occasional diversions into recoverability

    We walk in the dark places no others will enter
    We stand on the bridge and no one may pass
  • I picked way0utwest when I came to Denver, and use that in places. Others I stick with Steve Jones. No real rhyme/reason, but I note that they are part of who I am. Plus in some places it's hard to get "Steve Jones" as a username 🙂

  • Steve Jones - Editor (6/9/2009)


    I picked way0utwest when I came to Denver, and use that in places. Others I stick with Steve Jones. No real rhyme/reason, but I note that they are part of who I am. Plus in some places it's hard to get "Steve Jones" as a username 🙂

    That's one of the reasons for using a pseudonym. There are other GSquareds out there, even one on this site (who uses a superscripted 2 instead of the word), but there isn't a tendency to assume those are me. However, it would be very easy to assume that someone with the same "real name" is the same person. Even with a more rare name like mine, Google finds a couple of people named "Gus Gwynne" who aren't me, but it would be easy to assume they are.

    Interestingly enough, a couple of the search results for my name show this site, but GSquared didn't find much.

    Edit: Just did a search for GSquared SQL, and it found an article on this site, and a whole bunch of stuff on TechRepublic, which I haven't gone to in several years. Even a reference on "stackoverflow.com" about "Thanks to GSquared on SQL Server Central, I found it". Even some simple-talk links. But a couple of pages in, still no links to these forums, which are most certainly where the bulk of my stuff on SQL appears. Interesting. Not meaningful, but interesting.

    - Gus "GSquared", RSVP, OODA, MAP, NMVP, FAQ, SAT, SQL, DNA, RNA, UOI, IOU, AM, PM, AD, BC, BCE, USA, UN, CF, ROFL, LOL, ETC
    Property of The Thread

    "Nobody knows the age of the human race, but everyone agrees it's old enough to know better." - Anon

  • I use one of the names people call me, some of the others are not printable under the current decency laws.

    Developer 1: "Hey, it's almost quitting time. You know, the DBA worked until 2:00am last night, let's throw some code promotions his way before we leave."

    Developer 2: "Good idea, make sure you have some syntax errors in your code."

    Manager of Developers: "DBA, we have some non-important code moves for non-critical systems that must go in today."

    Everyone: "Dang, he sure is a Grumpy DBA..."

  • Grumpy DBA (6/10/2009)


    I use one of the names people call me, some of the others are not printable under the current decency laws.

    Developer 1: "Hey, it's almost quitting time. You know, the DBA worked until 2:00am last night, let's throw some code promotions his way before we leave."

    Developer 2: "Good idea, make sure you have some syntax errors in your code."

    Manager of Developers: "DBA, we have some non-important code moves for non-critical systems that must go in today."

    Everyone: "Dang, he sure is a Grumpy DBA..."

    Hey, that's almost the same story for how I got the Scary DBA nickname.

    "The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood"
    - Theodore Roosevelt

    Author of:
    SQL Server Execution Plans
    SQL Server Query Performance Tuning

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