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Lets first address your real name. You love your real name, and youve most likely taken great pains to make it memorable and respected. For many, your name brings instant creditability in your profession. But when it comes to the internet, do not post your real name. Its an issue of security, and its just not smart.
If youre stuck on using your name, you can, but use variations of it. Piece it together with activities that you like to do, adjectives that apply to you, or nicknames youve used before. For example, my name is Jim McMenamin. Some variations that I could use would be McJim, JimmyMac, JimSkis, or SlimJim.
Here are a few other suggestions for you:
-Include another personal tidbit about yourself. For example, a Penn St. graduate might pick a name like PennStJim. If youre from Philadelphia, it could be PhillyJim.
-When you start stringing together names use proper capitalization. What I mean is to capitalize each word in the name. It highlights what youre trying to portray. Which one sticks out more, gymqueen or GymQueen?
-Avoid using too many numbers. People will remember CutieSue, but they may have trouble remembering if youre CutieSue1990.
-Use a name from a book, movie, or show that you really enjoyed.
-Take a word that you like, for example Queen, and go to a website like Babelfish to translate it into another language. Odds are the name Queen will already be taken when you register, but theres a good chance that the name Reine (French translation) will be available.
One last point to address is names that come with sexual innuendo. This is a tricky point, and it really depends on the site youre using and the people that youre hoping to meet.
Lets take a simple name like SexKitten. This is very site specific as to how well it will work. If youre registering at an adult dating site, then this name is more than appropriate; however, if youre at a Christian dating site, odds are this wont cut it.
If you choose to stick with SexKitten, you need to be careful at moderate sites, which have people looking for both short term and long term relationships. When someone views that name, they will have a preconceived notion of what youre looking for. (Let me give you a hint, its not a long term relationship.) Just remember, sometimes you get what you ask for.
Dont just rush to slap up a name when you register. This is a fun step in the process, and it helps to stamp the uniqueness of your profile. Get away from your straight laced 9-5 job, and enjoy your alter ego.
Jim McMenamin is the webmaster and creator of MacsDatingSite.com, a blog dedicated to the various issues of online dating. For a limited time, Jim is giving away two free eBooks, 10 Tips To Writing Your Online Dating Profile as well as 101 Steps To A Happy Relationship, when you sign up for his newsletter.
