How'd you get your screen name?

Every so often, we get an e-mail from a listener suggesting we do a show on online screen names - some of the best ones, the worst ones, the ones that make you LOL as you're saying NH.

And even just the names you're curious about where they came from.

We'd said this on the show before, but here's where the Ante Up brass got their names:

OffDeadline (Scott): A reference to his newspaper job - when he's off deadline, it's fun time.

willhopper (Chris): The main character in a novel he wrote. (And it's still a secret what his screen name is on Poker Stars. I was hoping he'd still be hopped up on surgery drugs so he'd let it slip when Fasso and I visited him at the hospital last night, but no dice. BTW, he's doing fine and will be released soon. We passed along the well-wishes of The Nation).

stpetebeach (Fasso): City where he lives. The city where he sleeps.

columbo (Columbo): It's his name. Well, er, his fake name.

How did you decide on your name, and what are some of the best you've seen?

- SCOTT

Comments

[aces88ss]

Well, my screen name, Aces88ss came from Aces and eights. I live in Deadwood, so the obvious reference to Wild Bill and his infamous hand. I had to add the extra "s" cause there are so many variations on the AA88 name.

My favorite screen name I have ever seen was "LUCABRASI" (The hitman from the Godfather movie). When we last heard about old Luca, he was "swimming with the fishes".

[OhCaptain]

I’ve never really had a nickname given to me in my life. I used to go by Gilmour (back before the Internet was the Internet), the name of my favorite guitarist. That name was taken on FTP. When I walk into my bosses office, I usually announce myself by saying “Oh Captain, my Captain…” I'm a huge fan of "Dead Poets Society." When I tried it in Full Tilt, it didn’t need a number at the end. So I stuck with it.

[Zerbet]

I, too, was casting about for a screen name that was memorable (at the time none of the site software "remembered" your screen name for logging in) and that didn't require a number or symbol or some-such thing attached.

When my child was very young she used to ask for a "mustard zerbet" - I have a mustache (which she called a "mustard") and notwithstanding what anyone (including the ill-informed on the Internet) says, Bill Cosby calls making the "fart" noise by blowing on a kid's tummy a "zerbet."

Somehow, naming myself after an obnoxious noise that makes kids laugh uncontrollably just made sense. Go figure.

By the way, the all time winner for funny screen names on FTP is, was, and always will be:

TinyPP

Case. Closed.

[Erwin Blonk]

eblonk is basically my name: Erwin Blonk.
On VC Poker my name is AnteMatter07, on Hollywood Poker it is Ante Matter. I had www.ante-matter.com registered for a while until I made a mistake and never got around to re-register it. Ante Matter comes from combining Anti-matter and ante. Besides poker I love my science (fact and fiction), so there.

[gadzooks64]

Right after I got married (long time ago) a guy I worked with called me gadzooks as a play on my new last name.

When it came time to pick a screenname I decided to go with that but had to add some digits because plain old gadzooks was taken.

My friends call me Zooks and my boys have already registered ZooksXX screennames!

[Berliner77]

My screen name is a combination of my last name and a number that Yahoo gave me when I was making my first e-mail address.

Not exciting, I know.

[Sports Guy]

I was a sports editor here in Southern Indiana for 10 years. I've since moved to the general news desk (by my own choosing), but the name stuck.

As I've told 'Zooks, I have a different SN for all occasions:

Sports Guy (here and CCN forum)
AlanStewart (on FTP ... my real name)
RCStompers (on Stars ... name is a form of River City Stompers, the name I give to all of my fantasy sport teams)

[Thornado]

I lived in California for six months in 2004 and during this time I somehow managed to grow quite an impressive beard. Since I'm Scandinavian, one of the guys there thought I looked like a viking, and started calling me Thor.

This time period was also when I was first introduced to Hold'Em on TV and when I registered my first online account (only play money, on Pacific Poker), and I kinda worked with the Thor I was given and made it sound a bit like a tornado as well.

[detourglr]

I was in a pool hall, when a buddy came in with a nickname of "Turnpike Tommy" He was called that cause he was always on the road at pool tournaments. He asked me to play some 9-ball. I had to agree. I knew I was going to get my butt kicked because Tom is a lot better pool player than I am. So I wanted to have some fun with him, I wrote our names on the chalkboard. Turnpike on one side and DETOUR on the other. He asked me what this DETOUR business is all about. I simply said "Watch out Turnpike, but you are about to go on a DETOUR!!!!!!!!" We both laughed about this and till this day we still make comments about it.
So in February 1996, internet came around to our area and I had to think of a user name for myself, but I wanted something that no one knew me as. So I thought about it and remember this story and the only people that knew about it was me and tom and a few in the pool hall at the time.

Thinking detour was a unique name I thought no one else would have the nickname. But I find out in France, Detour is a popular name and found out that people use this for a username. So I added the my initials to the end of it to make it unique.

[aka_BigAl]

I was an early enough PokerStars player to get BigAl, a university nickname.

My favourite was from way back in the IRC poker days. It was a fish, something like

[aka_BigAl]

Argh! It won't let me post the fishy name. Type a fish for yourseld with a less than symbol, semi colon, 4 round brackets, and another less than sign.

[Croker]

On the highway leading from Richmond, VA to VA Beach there is an exit for the towns of Croaker and Norge. A friend of mine and I have adopted Croaker Norge as our favored fictional name. For example, when my wife used to tour model homes I would always sign the visitor's registry with the name Croaker Norge. Actually, I signed it Croker Norge. It was only in the last couple of years that I realized that I had been spelling Croaker wrong.

You'll find me as Croker, Croaker, CrokerNorge, and CroakerNorge on various sites.

[Sharkey]

Sharkey is my last name and 420 is ..uh... my bench press max. The best nickname I have ever heard of is a friend of mine bowls in a league. A team from that league is named "Off Constantly" So when they lose the winning team has to report. "We beat Off Constantly"

[FrodoNL]

My first name starts with an F and my last name starts with Rodo. I never connected that with the name Frodo, until at age 14 or so, a friend of mine noticed I was signing papers with something that looked a lot like Frodo (I was to lazy to write my full name, so the last part of the family name sorta got left behind).

In the mid 1980s, I could use the nick Frodo on just about any network I was on, but especially after the LOTR movies came out, it became a way more popular nickname. NL (no, not for no limit - for Netherlands) was added to solve that.

[imtoomuch4u]

Because I'm too much for you. Really, I didn't want a name that gave away the fact that I'm a woman. Plus I don't mind putting people on tilt by just sitting down.

[NickG]

ngmcs8203 - ng my initials, mcs (megacraft systems) was a video game company my friends and I invented when we were 10 and 8203-year i was born/03 year I created the SN

"and 420 is ..uh... my bench press max"

At school I had friends that pressed the bench like that. I never pressed benches but they were convinced I had it built in, so to speak. The principal thought I was quite the bench presser and could not figure out how I eluded being caught pressing the bench. Well, I didn't, I just looked like I did.

[Erwin Blonk]

The previous comment was mine.

[aces88ss]

I think I would like to play poker with friendly people while they are..."bench pressing" 420.

[Rob]

Gapband85... in tribute to one of the best funk bands of the early 80s. And 85 *might* be the year I was born. Not that I'm dating myself...

Enjoy this Gap Band classic...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDAFPaP5Pcg

[Berliner77]

Fasso should change his username to "FLOPPIN QUADS"

[Michael Paul]

I got my name because I have a total lack of creativity and use the same screen name on all boards and services that require a log in!

due to the rather limited exposure of Ante Up and the Card Clubs Network, michaelpaul was not taken. it usually is hence my starts and FT name of mfpaul.

the only online service that I use a different name for is for mountain biking and I use the brand of my mountain bike as my screen name (Yeti) but most people outside of biking would only know a Yeti as a furry dude cruising the mountains of Oregon so I didn't use it for poker!

Michael

[Dave]

Penn State gave user IDs with your initials and a three digit code to all incoming students - at least they did back in the days soon after Al Gore discovered the Internet.

Yeah it's that lame. And the "dj" part of it has nothing to do with being a DJ, as Scott implied in a recent HOTW. And the 182 part has nothing to do with Blink 182, Turk 182, my goal weight, or my all-time high bowling score.

"DonkElimin8r" was one of the best I've seen. I saw a guy on Stars once with the name "WillPooper", which seemed very uncool for some reason. ;)

[Jan]

Mine's "Lambique". It's the French translation of Lambik, the name of a Flemish strip character. http://suskeenwiske.ophetwww.net/intro/pics/lambik.gif

It's a character I can sort of relate to, and Lambik (the original Dutch name) has been my nickname on MSN etc for over six years. But many sites already have a user called "Lambik", so I opted for the translation.

My irl nickname would be "Jazz", but I'm secretly hoping it'll be "Razz" very soon.

[Mike F.]

My PokerStars name is Bruckner_7th. Anton Bruckner is one of my favorite composers, and his Seventh Symphony is one of my favorite pieces of music.

I am just plain Beach on Internet Chess Club, if you're ever there.

[Renin]

I stumbled into online poker about two years while a buddy and I were studying for a biochemistry test. We were in a study room at Robarts library at U of T, when I noticed he kept looking at his laptop. I guess he trying to hide the fatc he was playing poker while studying. I prodded and he got into it, so I signed up right there on pokerchamps.com. When it came time for a name, I picked RENIN, because that was the lecture i happened to be studying at the time. For those arent medically savvy, Renin is part of a protien complex (renin-angiotensin) that regulates kindney functions. I just thought it would be another fad that would pass, but after I started to win consistently I stuck with it. When I get my car (from poker profits) guess what my license plate will read...

[Chi-Guy]

Mine is a strategic one.

I am a 36 year old limit Hold 'em player who plays the lowest stakes, almost purely mathmatically. I make mistakes a vary my play when needed but the Math is always the first priority. I am kind of a poker bot. Low stakes works nicely for me.

My screen name - reraise1986. Hard to create a table image on-line. This is the best way to throw people off.

I guess I should change it to reraise1987 now.

Brian

[SamRiver]

porn name
first pet, Sam
street I grew up on Grand River ave.

[Scotsman420]

Scotsman420 is a name I've had for many years, dating back to my online gaming days. Firstly Scotsman is because I am indeed Scottish and 420 is because in my younger days i was partial to Morocco's finest produce.(Hashish)

[Scotsman420]

Scotsman420 is a name I've had for many years, dating back to my online gaming days. Firstly Scotsman is because I am indeed Scottish and 420 is because in my younger days i was partial to Morocco's finest produce.(Hashish)

[Poker Geek]

Poker Geek is my screen name. I've always been a little bit of a geek and I love poker, therefore Poker Geek. On some sites I have to use PokerGeekMN (for Minnesota where I live) if PokerGeek is already taken.

I thought Scott Fischman's handle was kinda interesting. He used to have Empty Seat 88. He payed on a site that used Empty Seat for seats that weren't taken. I suppose that confused some folks.

Of course I've also seen some fairly offensive names too. (I'll refrain from sharing them here.)

[Matt]

My screen name "frygator" comes from my last name and the college I graduated from-University of Florida.

[Blazman]

I have been Blazman or Blaz since high school. Then I went to college with one of my high school mates, who carried it there.

My favorite screen name that I have seen is "I8annette15"

[Rasputin]

I got it on ebay.

[Clever Moniker]

When I was about to sign up here, I said 'I need to find something good for a screen name here. Something funny but smart - a clever moniker'. Bingo.

[Clever Moniker]

Best online poker name I ever saw - Ultimate Butt.

[snuffy]

scottc25 - My first name and the 25 is the size on my pee pee in inches. Actually it was my number when I played softball.

Snuffy is a long story, like to hear it, here it goes.

I got the nickname sucky or suck playing softball. I would beat a grounder to the left side and run like hell for a single. Or when I hit it out of the infield it was the kind where bith players dove for it and it squirted through. Thus the sucky hit.

It got switched to Snuffy when when one of my friends girlfriends couldnt remember my name and called my Snuffy. That one stuck.

[cheer_dad]

On most poker sites I'm known as cheer_dad. After several years carting my daughter around to competition cheerleading events, it just kinda happened. The name stuck... and it's kinda taken over.

Regards,

cheer_dad

[DarthSushi]

AA88ss, I've played against lucabrasi, and I thought that was a great name!

My origin story is easy. Two things I love. I have been a a huge Star Wars fan since the first movie (and I am old enough to have seen it first time in a theater, when it came out, and before there were multiplexes). I also love sushi, and make it at home.

[DarthSushi]

I also can tell something about another player's personality, depending on whether they call me Darth or Sushi. I think the Darther's are more likely to be bluffers and aggressive. Sushi nicknamers are more likely rocks.

[Nick_G]

I've seen some good screen names, but the only good one that I really remember was when I used to play on PokerRoom. I was playing a $100SH NLHE table and a guy I was chatting up with for a few hours was talking about hockey. He had played with some of my favorite Sharks in Europe and was just starting to play poker more regularly.

Greg Mueller's FBT (Full-blown-tilt). I've always liked his screenname for it's simplicity and humor.

[Ranger1989]

I made my name from when I went to ranger school. US Army Ranger School 8-89.

[Bacon sandwich]

I needed inspiration one morning when creating my account. I was eating a bacon sandwich. Job done.

[Joe-Unimpressed]

A whole long uninteresting story about some friends from St. Louis.

I now wish I had a more unusual name so that I can google it and find blogger posts about hand histories I was involved in.

[viii_ball]

Used to be a competitive billiards player.

[dave n ohio]

On pokerstars, Disaster Inc as what i knew my playing style would be..

On Full Tilt, KJPoker as for reference to my bud Kenna

On ultimate bet, CanuSayNuts as its an account Kenna and I have shared in the past and he made somewhat famous with the rail birds playing Phil Hellmuth 100/200 heads up with last year..

[Rant2112]

My wife gave me the name Rant. Not sure why. ;)

Rant is always taken. If I have to put a number after it then it might as well be 2112.

[GiantStep]

When my wife and I first started dating I made her a mixed tape (yeah, it was a tape). I included a song by Taj Mahal called "Take a Giant Step" (actually it was written by Carole King and Gerry Goffin, but I like Taj's version). It was my wife's favorite on the tape, and the song--and my wife--have since stuck with me.

My name is GiantStep.

Here are part of the lyrics:

Though you failed at love and lost
And sorrow's turned your heart to frost
I will mend your heart again
Remember the feeling as a child
When you woke up and morning smiled
Its time its time its time you felt like that again

There is just no percentage in remembering the past
Its time you learned to live again and love at last
Come with me leave your yesterday your yesterday behind
And take a giant step outside your mind

[ReedMoney]

Most online poker sites: ReedMoney
FTP: All In Reed

Reed is my last name and I figured I hoped to win some money playing poker. Nothing special.

FTP: At the time, I went all-in alot when I started and figured that name was appropiate. It sometimes gets me when I in rebuy events open shoving though.

[Federgast FBi]

If anyone is still reading this deep thread (lol), I got my name from a great character appearing in many of the Douglas Preston/Lincoln Child novels. Special Agent Pendergast.

Trust me, look up these books on Amazon. You will be hooked on these novels.

[Pendergast FBi]

D'oh... cant even spell my own name above!

[Vindice]

I've had the name Vindice online since 1995. I have been a History buff and American Civil War re-enactor since 1989. The Great Seal of the Confederacy contained the Latin phrase "Deo Vindice" meaning God will Vindicate. So I took the Latin word Vindice for 'To Vindicate" or just "Vengeance". Most people think it has to do with shooting craps 'Dice'. I do enjoy a good craps table from time to time too....

[JLBSox]

initials (JLB) + favorite baseball team (Sox)

[Scott]

hats-n-iglasses

Name of my aunt's book that just published. The one that will be on show #143. I lack creativity, but I am happy to advertise.

Scott

[Carroboblin]

I use the screen name "carroboblin". It's great, mainly because it's a word that doesn't appear in dictionaries - hence I can get gmail, yahoo addresses etc.

I am from australia and carroboblin is an aboriginal word. It means "Fat Animal" I am not fat, but whether or not I am an animal is a matter of some conjcture and not my place to comment on.

[Skinnyfatguy]

I couldn't decide...so I just put down both

[Chiberta]

When is Chris posting the story behind his Pokerstars screen name? Which is?

(and willpooper will not do for an answer)

[Boil]

Can we have any more information about Chris's novel featuring Willhopper?

[Thitsa]

Thitsa means "Auntie" in Greek. It's what I called my favorite Aunt when I was a kid and now my neice and nephew call me that. It's on my license plate and will probably be the name of my eventual cookie company.

All my friends call me "Focker" from Analyze This because my name is Martha. I still don't get it but it gets quite embarrassing when they scream it across the casino floor, department store or mall. I haven't tried to use it yet as a screen name 'cause I figure it's already taken.

[Mitch]

beammeupfast.

In high school and college, my fictious character amongst friends was 'Scotty' the chief engineer of the infamous USS Enterprise. Seems Scotty was alway being asked to beam everyone up,,, when he wasn't fixing the broken transporter or messing with dylitheum crystals.

[sportsfntc]

My screen name? sportsfntc ... simply because I am a sports fanatic!