What’s in your name?
Posted by myg
Hullo everybody! How’s your downtime going? Yeah, that’s about how I thought. I was thinking though, about you and about me and about who we are in here and why we present ourselves just in the way that we do.
See, my close friend just stuck his big toe into the virtual universe and he simply agonized over creating his SL name (and came up with a great one too). I can see stressing over it, though. When you meet somebody new in here, the name the first clue as to who they might be. Because they chose it themselves, it says something.
So what I want to know is why, given not infinite but a wide choice of moniker, did you choose what you chose? Do you still like it?
Okay, I’ll go first.
Myg·da·la: MIG-duh-luh is how you say it.
But most who know me call me Myg. Or Mygs if you want to be cuddly about it, which is a-ok with me.
In and of itself, Mygdala doesn’t mean anything. Most of you have never heard of anyone with this name, and this indeed is something I like about it.
I chose it when I was immersed in learning about the neurobiology of traumatic experience. The Amygdala is a little almond shaped critter that sort of acts like the brain’s alarm system and sparks off things like elevated heart rate in response to perceived threat.
Lots of you don’t know it yet, but I’m a musician to boot. A singer, guitarist, lyricist. I think because of this, I am in *love* with the sounds of words. And I love the sound of the word Amygdala. I understand this is strange, but it is true.
a·myg·da·la 
(
-m
g
d-l) KEY
So originally I was going to name myself Amygdala. Then it came time to look for last names. On the LL list was March, which I naturally chose because it’s the month of my driver’s birth. That would have made me:
Amygdala March.
But it didn’t sing, you know? Too many syllables, the stress in the wrong place. I need flow in a name. So played around with it a little. I lopped the A off, and became:
Mygdala March.
Now to me, that rings. Saying it is like a dance for my tongue.
But what happened of course is that nobody wants to type Mygdala - I don’t even want to type it. So it evolved to Myg over time. And the name is so *me* now it’s not even funny. So that’s the story. I am sticking by it.
But enough about me.
If you’re game, please comment or post with a track back here so we can find out what’s in your name.
I must admit that those of you who have the least “normal” sounding names I’m most intrigued by: Codebastard Redgrave, JellyBean Madison, Wrath Paine, Sable Slade, Hawksrock Gunawan, Tateru Nino, Desertwolf Longstaff, Dinee Ghia, and of course, Vint Falken (who many people assume is male when just seeing the name-why is that?).
But I also want to hear how Zoe Connolly, Tiana Meriman, Timothy Lilliehook and gosh, all of my friends, bloggers or not, picked their names. Because I’m all curious about the human experience like that.
If I forgot to name you here, please remember that I am an ass.
Participation in this social networking event is all voluntary, of course…
lubs,
mygs
Wrath Paine defined.
well i already stated how i became tiana meriman in my blog but i guess i can give more details. so as you know i first started out as tina dojoji, tina is a name i love, i always liked the sound of it. and i’m a big fan of the asian architecture and culture in general. so thats why i chose dojoji.
when i restarted a new avie, i wanted a name that would be easy to do the transition for my friends and since tina was already for every single last name (i checked each one individually) i had no choice but to change it, i played a bit with my first name and eventually came with the name Tiana, i like because it kind of flows when you say it. then i looked thru the list of last names available. thats how i got the name Meriman, when i said it out loud it kind of flowed too. i also liked it because it sounded normal. it was so different then my last name.
i still love my name a lot and i do think if i was to ever lose this name i would probably sad for quite a while. my avie changes a lot with my moods but my name is something that will always be me. its become a part of my core
My name story’s a lot like yours. *I* don’t even want to say “Sophrosyne” all the time, and am Soph to everyone, always, pretty much.
Here’s what it means… Yeah, I know, ironic like whoa.
The Greek pronunciation is “Soh Froh suh NEH,” which would lead to calling me Soph, pronounced “Soaf,” as in Sophie.
I’m good with that, though I usually anglicize it to “Soff Ross Uh Knee,” with Soph pronounced “Soff.”
Except, I’ve discovered that a lot of people really mispronounce it - as “Soff Row Sign” -, and the ones that do tend to call me “Sophro.” Took me a while to figure that out…
My name was chosen for me for a number of reasons, first and foremost because it sounds like it could be a person’s name, but it’s not. Much like those odd names people have in sci-fi stories. For me it says to people, “this is an AV you’re talking to, not a ‘real’ person like ‘SexyJanie2007′” I’m a native of SL, and I like to show it. And, as you say, the wierd names tend to be the more memorable ones.
Argent is also a heraldic metal - silver in this case. I like silver. It’s second best to gold, but I find I don’t mind that at all. Silver also tarnishes, which is in keeping with my love of wabi-sabi and transitory beauty. Finally, Argent is commonly associated with the Moon, which is where I happen to come from, so all the better.
::Argent Out::
Here’s the boring answer to the question from someone you don’t really know…
When I signed up for SL, I honestly didn’t know much about it so the whole future “weight” of my name didn’t compute at that point.
Gillian (pronounced Jillian) is my real first name. I honestly dunno if I could answer to anything else aside from the usual nicknames. First life, second life or any later lives.
I chose “Waldman” because it was the only Jewish name on the list when I joined in September last year. This was important to me because it’s a big part of who I am…not religiously, but ethnically.
I don’t love “Waldman” and definitely don’t love the whole name together but it has some equity now and I wouldn’t start over at this point. I have an alt and hardly ever use that account - partially because she isn’t connected to the real Gillian like Gillian Waldman is.
When I decided to join SL I started by choosing my last name first (I do everything backwards I was even born that way) I chose the name Slade because it’s from a movie that I love, Velvet Goldmine. Brian Slade was the name of the lead character. I don’t remember how I came up with Sable but it sorta goes with Slade.
I am so digging this. Here’s my two-hundredths of an L. I had no idea how important my name might be to me or how attached to it I might become when I signed up last December. I might have agonized more if I had, so I’m glad I didn’t. Like Sable, I was surfing through the last names looking for inspiration. The first one that clicked was Burgess. It’s a good British name, and though I’m an American, my first-life last name is also notably WASPy, so I gravitated toward it. Maybe more importantly, it made me think of Anthony Burgess, a writer I admire. As I’m also a writer, I figured okay, I’ll take that one. Then, as the main character in his novel “A Clockwork Orange” is named Alex, I took that as a first name. I’m not sure why I took the full Alexander, but it’s possible it’s because that’s also my first-life name, though every one calls me Alex. Pretty much like SL. It’s also easy to remember. As my time inworld progresses, so does the synergy between my namesakes, my second life, and my first life. I see a mighty day of convergence and possible reckoning in the future, but not yet.
I did not spring fully-formed onto the Grid in my current shape - I had no idea of whom I wanted or would be - but I did appreciate the value of names, and wished to find something that would not be a complete embarrassment but would also allow me to be almost anything I wished without itself seeming inappropriate.
There were some constraints: I had an idea that I would likely be taking an interest in scripting and technical affairs, and “Ordinal” has a mathematical air to it, though is not obscure or unpronouncable. I also have some poor pretensions as a writer, and “Malaprop” is not only a literary reference but has become a term in its own right (well, “malapropism” has). The two together seem to me to have a pleasing mellifluence, and a lack of further connotations.
I don’t know how to do the nifty linkie-loo like Wrath…. but mine is defined here as well: http://tinyurl.com/26b5m8
Well, Caterin was the name of the main character of the last novel I’d read. Actually, her name was Catrin but I was drunk when signing-up and misspelt it. Semyorka had a nice central European ring to it…a place I’ve always liked. So there yah go!
[…] Myg recently asked the question: why did you pick your name? I thought it an excellent question for… well… almost everybody I know really. SL names especially tend to be out of the clear blue. Why did Nick choose “57 Miles” again? He told me once but I can’t remember… and why “Urizenus Sklar”? Or “HeadBurro Antfarm”? Why no caps to “dandellion Kimban”? I could go on and on… so I thought I’d better ask the question to my social circle too. Why did you pick your name? […]
Like Alex and Sable, I chose my last name first.
When I was scanning the names available ‘Lutetia’ was the standout. Lutetia was the original name for the city that’s now Paris, and St. Genevieve is Paris’s patron saint… and as it’s my favourite city, it all seemed destined to be!
I’ve occasionally flirted with the idea of creating an alt that’s more gender neutral, but Genevieve is such an extension of me now, it feels faintly adulterous to even consider (in so far as you could cheat on yourself).
I think your all gonna be bored as hell over the choosing of my name. When I started playing Star Wars Galaxies, I couldn’t decide what to name myself, so used the random name generator. It came up with Dinori. Which sounded a bit like an offshoot to my real name (Deborah or Debbie.. which I absolutely hate btw.) Dinori is long gone, but I have created characters that almost come close to my real name, Devra was the name I used for a long time in many games, its one that a lot of people know me by. Dinee (pronounced Din-knee) is an offshoot of Devra, I’ve also been Dinale and Dineara. If you look at my name its spelled with a small d, dinee Ghia and not Dinee Ghia. The reason for that is when I filled out the form for second life I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to what I was doing and didn’t realize I had spelled it with a small d. I’ve been kicking myself over that ever since.
“TheDiva Rockin”
My nick name, The Diva, comes from my first podcast “The Dork & Diva Show” which dissolved about 6 months before I entered SL, but the name stuck. I started up my second podcast “The-Broad-Cast” and decided that SL would be a cool platform for self promotion. Rockin was the second surname I created ’cause I forgot the password on my 1st account and never managed to get it reset.
Exciting stuff, huh?
Here ya go Myg DesertWolfs Name
I was born Yolande Eveline Geoffrion in 1722 but when by the turn of the Century (in 1801) my friends and family no longer counted among the living, I adopted the name Young for indeed I had ceased to age many decades before. Entering SL last year I discovered to my delight the surname Geoffrion available and so had no reason to change a thing. I adopted a man’s disguise upon first arrival, owing to reports of unwanted solicitations I would prefer to avoid. But once I discovered a more intelligent society, I returned to my proper form, while retaining my gentleman’s jacket, breeches and waistcoat as was my former habit. The name and manner of dress does lead to some confusion and I regret any embarrassment they have caused. At the age of 285 however I am entirely impervious to any thought of romance, therefore care not if you address me as Sir or Madame, so long as you speak with elegance, candor and wit.
Aw yeah, that’s what I want to hear people! Why are you who you are?
@Wrath - who from henceforth shall be known inside my head as “WoD” because Wrath of Dude is really so perfect for you.
@Tiana - I always thought you had such a pretty name, it’s almost a shame you can’t export it to RL! I think should you ever enter the adult film industry or something, it’d make the perfect pseudonym should you wanna be that “bad girl” next door…
@Soph - Thank god we can call you Soph! I always wonder about the etiquette of shortening names and god knows I can’t spell yours for crap. I dig the origin, quite a lot.
@Argent - for me, your name has such a strong creep factor in it, and I really appreciate that. I always read it as a cross between “ardent” and “agent” and “bury” always has this sinister under current to it too. When you say it was chosen to be solo representado of an avatar, it made sense. And yeah, it’s one of the most memorable names I’ve come across in-world.
@Gillian - I think it makes perfect sense to use your real first name - I know someone else who did that! There’s something cool about meeting someone with a very real sounding name, knowing that it’s not really their name. Dunno why, but I just think so.
@Sable - your name I have always loved! It makes me think of girls grooming pretty horses. I don’t know why, but still, Aw!
@Burgess - the reason you took Alexander is because, I’m pretty sure, there already was an “Alex Burgess” and if that’s the case, we are SO Immin’ the dude to find out who he is and if he’s a Clockwork Orange fan!
@Ordinal! I am so tickled you jumped in here because I have always been fascinated by your name in particular, as yours is one of the very first SL blogs I ever read. I wondered if it was the number/scripting connection and have to say I think anyone who can define “malapropism” and “mellifluence” and use them in a sentence must be very smart. Poor pretensions, bah!
@JB - you don’t like JellyBeans? Can this be true? And you don’t like candy corn? My god, you probably don’t like circus peanuts or necco wafers either. I find this most startling…
@Caterin and dinee - I so totally love typos that get worked permanently into names. It’s like the virtual universe steps in and says, ah, nah, it’s gonna be *THIS WAY* instead!
@Genevieve - I did not know that about Paris! And you know, I love Paris too (the location, obviously). Your answer has educated me on many levels, and your name really is lovely, if decidedly to one gender.
@TheDiva - can I just say how much I love the fact that your first name starts with The? That just cracks me up. Do your friends call you “The” or “Diva” or TD? or do they spell the whole thing out? And Rockin is the natural last name choice for you, girl! That’s cause you are rockin!
@DW - I will say your name evokes quiet lovely places and majestic mysterious creatures, which all seem to fit with your personae. Off the decks, that it!
This was awesome everyone - I want to hear more, more, more!
@Young - your comment snuck up behind me while I wasn’t looking, though I’ve got to say if you’re looking for someone to speak with elegance please turn your attention to Alexander or Esteban, because yours truly, well, let’s just say elegant isn’t a word that fits real easily. I wanted to say my gramma’s name was Yolanda, but she was born in the 1930s, not the 1700s…so I don’t think it’s connected in anyway. Gosh, you don’t sound a day over 170!
OMG “circus peanuts or necco wafers” I LOVE LOVE THEM! My fav candy of all time though is Abracabubbles
Well, my first name was an easy choice, as I am known as “Erbo” far and wide across the Internets. “Erbo” is actually derived from my RL name in a simple fashion, and is easily pronounceable (”URR-boh” is the usual pronunciation I use, although there have been some that say “AIR-boh”). I’m not going to reprint my RL name here, although someone could probably find it if they looked.
“Erbo” started out as a code for me in the files of a certain friend of mine, established when I started college. I quickly adopted it as a login name; I was “6001erbo” on one of UCSB’s PDP-11s for awhile, and I was “erbo” in the upper-division computer labs for a couple of years. In time, it became my default login name…and where I don’t use “erbo,” I often use “obreerbo” (the palindromization of “erbo”) or “ErboColo” (”Erbo from Colorado”). The latter is my Xbox Live GamerTag, which is the online gaming environment I used most prior to entering SL.
So that was my first name. What about “Evans”? I picked it off the list because of its Colorado connections. For instance, Mount Evans is one of Colorado’s well-known “fourteener” mountain peaks, and the closest one to Denver. It was named after John Evans, second governor of the Colorado Territory and one of the founders of both Northwestern University and the University of Denver. (Evanston, Illinois is also named after him.) So, “Erbo Evans” is roughly equivalent to “ErboColo.” There also is an “Evans Avenue” in Denver, which runs not far from where I live, and an exit for it along Interstate 25…so there really is an Evans Avenue Exit. (It is not, however, Colorado state highway 42; I added that swank to the sign in my blog header as a cute Hitchhiker’s reference. The “Exit 203″ numbering, though, is correct.)
Myg doesn’t care about October Hush’s unusual name *pouts*
Here is mine : What’s in a Name
My interest in SL stemmed from it’s capacity to allow interactive storytelling and character creation. I tried to invent a persona that played to the pretensions of a mass media superstar, so Television was a perfect choice for a surname. Gideon was an homage to the Grant Morrison character, Gideon Stargrave, who acted as both a sleek superagent, and as a blurred mouthpiece for the writer’s own virtual persona. Stargrave was also heavily inspired by the characters of Michael Moorcock, and as I believe Moorcock completely describes Second Life in his Dancers At The End Of Time trilogy, the literary nod seemed perfect.
Of course, Gideon TV is really Hunter S., but that’s another story altogether.
Adding mine to the namepost pile…The Insatiable Zoe Connolly: » What’s in your name? M is for Myg
And finally, here’s the little story behind Timothy Lilliehook.
And I DO care about the story behind October Hush for sure, so pleeeeze do it for me if not for Myg? *purrrrs*
I will do it for you, Timothy.
And to spite Myg.
@Tober - I told you I was an ass! You didn’t believe me? I had to prove it, right?
See, I knew the second I started to list specific names that there’d be a bunch of VERY IMPORTANT people I’d accidentally leave out! You, Vanny Richez, Lisa Takao, Orchid Zenovka, Johnny Skosh, Romana Wei, Gala Alva, Benjamin Bigdipper, Starr Pinion, Cematary Slade, and you see, there will be far many others who I will not name this time as well! So please oh please? \
@Caleb - I hit you back at your blog and forgot to mention it above. Oi!
@Erbo - maybe I’m thick (wait a sec - definitely no maybe involved there) but I am really scratching my head to figure out what real name “Erbo” is derived from…
@Looker - and here I always thought you were “Looker” because of your affinity for photography…like one who is always looking at the world. I guess that’s close, right?
@Gideon - “My interest in SL stemmed from it’s capacity to allow interactive storytelling and character creation..” My interest got there too once I understood what was capable here. Your name is really perfect for that kind of character.
@Insatiable Zoe - very cool origin of a name you’ve got there, darlin’. Zoetrope would have suited you too, but Zoe is much nicer to type out!
You know I’m just teasing you, right Myg? =)
Sure, but that doesn’t make me not an ass, does it?
@Tober: Sure, you may be teasing, but that doesn’t get you off the hook. Inquiring minds want to know.
Myg: You’re not an ass!
Alex: I’ll post something later.
@Tober: Don’t argue with me! I know of what I speak - trust me.
Aha dear Myg,
Okay so just for you this is the “God, but why?” of my nick. First, everyone knows I’m a programmer. Hence the “Code”. But why bastard? Maby because it sounds better to my ears than “bitch”. To be real, im a big huge fan of the BOFH. OMGWTF?
Read more here:
http://www.theregister.co.uk/odds/bofh/
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BOFH
But so indelicate! Why such rudeness? Well first, fuck off. Yes this name has been chosen to fend off superficial, inane, insipid minds. Don’t like the name? Don’t talk to me. Also it is quite asexual, I thought I would get less harassment and dick heads if I chose a name that was something other than Lollipop Sucka (okay okay I’m pushing it). And maby some people would hold me in respect, taking me for something else than a hooker or just a fine piece of ass (which I am, really).
It was my mischievous hacker nick before I went into SL. So I searched for last names. I love red, it has always been my favorite color, even since I am a kid. And “grave” sounds so edgy and tough. Sounds like a blood covered tombstone. OK I will take it. So it is quite naturally that Code Red went in mind.
CodeBastard Redgrave. Wow, sounds awesome. And I was born. The looks and booty followed.
Of course, it’s a damn long name. I like long names. It reflects sophistication and complexity. But the downside is that, of course, it’s damn long to write. So people started to nick my nick.
Mairead Fitzgerald called me Red. Then people around shortened my first name to Code. Then some feminized it to Codie, so it soundz kyooter XD *gigglez and smilez*. But I like those shorter nicks too, and the longer ones too like Redhawtness (dear Melodious Source). Also got CodeB, CodeRed, skank, among others.
How to say it properly now, without me pistol whippin you. Let’s try some phonetic breakout à la Myg. CodeBastard is said in one trait like the two separate words. “co-d-bah’stard”. Redgrave sounds probably like “raed’grayv”. Or something like that. Codie is usually pronounced “Coh’dee”.
It always amaze me how people came to actually identify me in an environment as large as SL with Code, Codie or Red. Some people told me they now cannot dissociate myself when simply hearing the “red” word. Which is quite flattering.
Anyways, hopes it sounds like music to your ears Myg!
Love,
Codie,Code,Red,Code Red,the Redhawtness,the Red Queen AKA CodeBastard Redgrave
[…] how stupid our names sounds. Well here’s my comment reply to her on her article entitled What’s in your name. I thought it would probably be interesting to push it in here, since I hate writing lenghty […]
@Tobie: yeah, Myg’s right, she’s an ass. a damn beautiful one tho.
Weird. My first post didn’t show up yet but the others did. Myg could you please check if it’s not stuck in your swearword filters please?
Well I suppose this is as good a first post in return to reading Myg as any ^-~
The name Ekio is the name I came up with years ago for my fursona. Most pronounce it wrong and I have never minded. If someone happens to ask me first then I explain that it should be said Echo. *shakes head* I know its not at all the right sound, but it fits me. Ekio is a reflection of myself only slightly altered. When I started SL I knew what first name I wanted right off the bat, I could be no other than Ekio. When looking through last names I found Locataire and smiled. It was close to my fursona’s last name (Lockheart) and would fit nicely.
When was reading about Second Life, it reminded me about one of the first Cyberpunk novels, called The Shockwave Rider.
The choice of Plasma was easy, since SL is a different form of matter. ( ok, not really but you get the idea )
It’s also easy to spell.
@myg In no picture have I seen you looking like any four legged creature..mule, donkey or ass
@Codie: I checked the filters — I think the multiple html links in there made Akismet flag it. It’s up now.
@Burgess: kewl! thanks Alex! *hugz*
Been busy teaching 4 year-olds in rl so I am a bit behind on the posts here! But I will tell my name story anyway. I found a different last name first, but I can’t remember what it was. I toyed with a few other first names but it did not fit. I wanted a short and simple name, that meant something to me. Hope is a character in a book I am writing.. and I also like that it sort of had a subconcious ring to it.. which has proven to be true. I think people think I am a trustworthy and “good” person sometimes before even talking to me. Though I must admit, I think it also challenges a few to try and get me to do dirty things with them. LOL I ended up with Paravane when the other last name was taken, and this one “flowed”. Sometimes I forget and think it is my real name. LMAO
It’s really not terribly interesting. When I first joined SL, there was no question that I would be using October as a first name. It’s been a moniker of mine for over 10 years. October is my favorite month and has my favorite holiday in it…Halloween. And, I like the idea of months as names. Choosing a last name was daunting until I came across Hush. I thought it was perfect. I’m rather quiet and unassuming until people get to know me, then I open right up for them, so it’s a good fit and has a nice ring to it. To this day, I have only met one other October and I still haven’t met another Hush. Oh well, maybe one day.
Huh? What’s everybody talking about? Dwoozle really is my name. Of course, there is the theory that it’s the feminine form of Dweezil…
I was originally overwhelmed by the choices in last names. Nothing struck a cord with me at all. Then by coincidence a Geico commercial was playing on TV… Speed Racer!!! Racer was on the list of names! Dammit, somebody already got Speed Racer (now inactive
) . So I picked the next best one, GoSpeed Racer. Almost everyone calls me Go. A few call me Speedy. Hee Hee, It does tend to get the attention of Japanese SLers 
.
GoSpeed
Vintage + Adept = Vintagedept
Vintagedept shortened = Vint
Falken => just resembled Falcon, and it’s a neat bird.
I just thought overall, it sounded nice. Hell, did I know that everybody would think I’m male. *sobs*
(And the most famous Vint on the web is Vint Cerf and he’s male. Maybe that’s why. *still sobbing*)
[…] i saw this post by Timothy Lilliehook about how we choose our Second Life names. All started in a a post by Mygdala March about it and is growing quickly through the SL blogosphere. Looker Lumet also posted about it, as […]
Since everyone around the SL blogosphere is sharing their stories, here’s my name explained as well: http://ayumicassini.blogspot.com/2007/08/ah-you-me.html What a craze you started
One HawksRock, served up…. better late than never, shaken not stirred… http://verbalstewii.blogspot.com/2007/08/whats-in-hawks-name.html
My name is really Ana… and Lutetia sounded like the rest of my name. There. Nothing else to say!
@October: Yeah, I like months as names too (says Mz March…) and come to think of it, I never saw another Hush either!
@Timothy: Does this mean I can call you Tim? Coz I was just spelling Timothy out to be polite…
@Codebastard: Why, that’s quite the excellent name entry, Codie! I must admit your name ranks in my top 5 favorite all time avie names too. And having read the god damned explanation of BOFH, I can officially call you hardcore.
@Ekio: Well I’m glad you told us not to call you eh-kee-oh because that’s what I woulda done! Seriously tho, that’s a beautiful name. A hearty welcome to M is for Myg comments!
@Shockwave: Another choice moniker that I’ve admired from afar - thanks for stopping by and explicating it! And I’m a little relieved to know those pictures of me on all fours haven’t gotten too far around the net…;-)
@Hope: Your name is just sweet as all get out, and I think it most likely reflects your core persona, if not your inner-hooker.
@Dwoozle: sounds like something dripping from either leaky garbage or an orifice. Me like.
@Vint: wtf does “vintageadept” mean? Is this a European thing? In any case, yes the Falcon is a mighty winged creature and your name does you proud. Rock it.
@Raul: We like RL/SL name crossovers! See “Alexander Burgess,” “Timothy Lilliehook” and “Gillian Waldman” for reference. Crimson really is a good color, isn’t it?
@Ayumi: I do love your name! I don’t know why but looking at “Ayumi” spelled out makes me happy…
@Hawks: Are you kidding me? There’s actually another HawksRock? You know, you do sound like you’re from the midwest, and bird-inspired names are cool (See @Vint…)
@Ana: Another RL/SL name ala Alexander Burgess, Gillian Waldman, Timothy Lilliehook, and Raul Crimson! I am seeing this is quite common, especially for those who like their first names. Aside from that, I do <3 A names (see @Ayumi, and I was originally going to be Amygdala). My RL name is an A name and I like it too!
You’re all special for weighing in on this, just so you know. I love hearing about this stuff.
W00t! Myg thinks I’m hardcore! XD
Seriously it was fun to write that bit, and I’m hitting 2 birds with the same stone because people always asked me about it. And it’s not the same explaining it live and offering some more elaborate description, so thanks for that very entertaining call!
*huggles Myg*
BTW I put up a list of my nicks and from who they originate on my “About me” page here:
http://codebastardredgrave.com/about/
Ah, thankies, Myg
Ayumi can also mean ‘relax’, ‘colorful’ or ‘friend’, depending on how it’s written in kanji (Japanese characters)… So maybe that’s why it makes you smile 
Just a happy name 
I realize I’m extremely late in responding to this, but here’s the explanation for my none-too-interesting name
The very first name I chose was something much more interesting than “Chloe,” but I got halfway through the registration process and had to stop. When I returned to finish registering, I couldn’t access the first name, so I chose “Chloe,” which is what everyone calls me in RL (though it’s not my RL name). As for “Streeter,” well, it seemed to appeal to me more than any of the other surnames offered at the time.
If I had it to redo, I think I would follow my initial instinct and choose something more interesting. I must admit that I’m a little jealous of everyone who chose a compelling name
My name originally came for the old Battlestar Galactica series. In one episode the fleet had to get past a planet with a massive laser gun on it. The inventor of this gun was named “Ravishal”. I went on to use this name when I played Dungeons and Dragons in High School (9th level fighter!). Lately in SL people ask me if I am from India. Apparently it is a male first name there.
http://community.loudcity.com/stations/kona-radio/tune_in
I see not many has chosen their RL name like me. Well, I did it cause I like it, and there are so many named Therese where I live that I’m not afraid to be seeked out.
Carfagno came as a result of my love for all things Italian – except for the part that no-one there knows how to spell f-e-m-i-n-i-s-m.
How did I end up using my SL name ?
Simple …
Bella means beautiful and italian men often use that word to address feminine beauty. It’s also a partial anagram of my daughter Elisabetta and since my husband tends to call her Elisabella from time to time, Bella was a natural choice.
Then came the choice of the lastname. Since my RL lastname is unpronounceable for most of the people, it was clear that I would need an easy name and one that would sound great together with the firstname. After a few iterations, I got stuck with the month of birth of my daughter. And March sounded very international, short and easy to remember. Bella March was rezzed. In order to maintain the illusion of me being italian and not being young, I just added a prefix to my firstname and a suffix to my lastname. Arabella Marchesi is my artistname in RL.
With the knowledge I have today, I would have used a different firstname and lastname. Should I have to recreate an avatar from scratch, I would choose a name closer to my reallife name. Crystal would be an obvious choice and the lastname would still remain a headache. Suggestions are welcome !
According to http://www.kabalarians.com, ” Gala ” means this :
Although the name Gala creates the urge to understand others, we point out that it causes you to be emotional and temperamental
( ah sorry for the double post )
According to http://www.kabalarians.com, ” Gala ” means this :
Although the name Gala creates the urge to understand others, we point out that it causes you to be emotional and temperamental (So True )
This name, when combined with the last name, can frustrate happiness, contentment, and success, as well as cause health weaknesses in the fluid systems, liver and the bloodstream.
Your first name of Gala has given you a quick-minded, sensitive nature.
It gives you a clever, creative ability in art, music, singing, or drama and an appreciation for refined surroundings.
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the reason i choose my name was also to look for the perfect last name, i wanted something short and sharp sounding, so “Alva” was choosen.
“Gala” is really not so my style, because it is a very feminine name. but i knew i would start as a dancer or hostess in sl, so i thought gala alva is a name, people may remember.
and they sure did, not really in a good way…
also i like salvador dali and his wife’s name was Gala, and there is also a apple named Gala. Gala is versatile.
i don’t like long names that i can’t pronounce nor type out ( no pun intended.. this is just for myself )
in all my other ” games “, i stuck with only one name, which i wont mention here because its to known in the gamer world.
[…] did it recently when Myg started a meme about how we got our names. I resisted a couple of days but then Celeb Booker pointed his finger and asked why dandellion is […]
Great idea! I’ve put mine up, here ^_^