Line #49 Main/OnlineAlias


1	->''The Internet: Where you find yourself saying things like, "Ass Dan and Whackadoodle are right."''
2	-->-- '''Shaenon Garrity''', ''Webcomic/{{Narbonic}}''
3
4	People using the internet will rarely go by their given name. Writers seem to have some very specific ideas of how this works. TheCracker and PlayfulHacker will use an alias as a pseudonym for all their [[BuffySpeak hacker-y]] deeds (in extreme cases [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname they'll only go by that name]]). They tend towards single words or two word phrases (preferably cool sounding).
5
6	Expect generic references to popular characters and streams of numbers and letters appended to the end, or [[Letters2Numbers replacing some of the characters]]. It will almost certainly involve a pun on the user's given name if they're an important character. If an aforementioned "hacker" uses one of these it's generally to show that they're rather pathetic. Either way, expect usernames to be full of XtremeKoolLetterz or be NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast. Their online alias could also be a LazyAlias if poorly put together.
7
8	In more recent works, since TechnologyMarchesOn, there's a fair chance there will be a more "normal" screen name for a character with an email or IM address.
9
10	[[OneSteveLimit No one will go by the same or a similar handle]] and the main characters will never have any trouble getting a username derived from their real name no matter how common it is (unless it's being PlayedForLaughs), since ItsASmallNetAfterAll.[[note]]Although the OneSteveLimit is sometimes TruthInTelevision for websites with user accounts.[[/note]]
11
12	Computers often have cool names too; see NamesGivenToComputers.
13	----
14	!!Examples:
15	[[foldercontrol]]
16
17	[[folder:Advertising]]
18	* A SuperBowlSpecial for ''VideoGame/ClashOfClans'' features Creator/LiamNeeson playing the game under the moniker "[=AngryNeeson52=]", contrasting the serious tone of his monologue with the much less serious choice of username.
19	[[/folder]]
20
21	[[folder:Anime & Manga]]
22	* ''Anime/GundamBuildDivers'': All the main cast have [=GBN=] usernames derived from their real names - Yukio "Yukki" Hikada, Momoka "Momo" Yashiro, Koichi "KO-1" Nanase[[note]]1 = ''ichi''[[/note]], Aya "Ayame" Fujisawa, and... Riku "Riku" Mikami (written in English rather than kanji).
23	* ''Manga/YuushaGojoKumiaiKouryuugataKeijiban'' (AKA, ''Hero Union BBS'') is framed as a series of threads on an interdimensional message board, so every character is primarily known by a handle. New users are called "Hero" by default, but they soon differentiate themselves by profession or world of origin, like recurring characters Student, Sage, Freeter, and Princess Shrine Maiden. A few even have new handles forced on them, like the college student who gets dubbed Magical Girl despite being mortified by her patissier-themed costume.
24	[[/folder]]
25
26	[[folder:Comic Books]]
27	* ''Comicbook/RedRobin''
28	** Tim Drake-Wayne/Red Robin goes by redbird.
29	** Lonnie Machin (formerly ComicBook/{{Anarky}}) goes by [=MoneySpider=].
30	[[/folder]]
31
32	[[folder:Comic Strips]]
33	* ''ComicStrip/{{Garfield}}'':
34	** December 3, 1999: Jon goes on a chat room under the name "Stephano", describing himself as "very rich and macho." According to Garfield, "[[DeadpanSnarker nobody can empty a chat room like Stephano]]."
35	** September 24, 2008: A comic revolves around Garfield using a cat chat room. His username is [=Garf1=], and there are unidentified users named [=Whiskers232=] and [=Pussnboots113=].
36	[[/folder]]
37
38	[[folder:Fan Works]]
39	* In ''FanFic/HeroChat'', the Miraculous Holders use aliases related to their hero names when they use ''Team Chat''. They vary between [[ShoutOut Shout Outs]] and puns.
40	[[/folder]]
41
42	[[folder:Films -- Animated]]
43	* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Toy Story 3}}'', someone by the name of [=Velocistar237=] [=AIMs=] Trixie, temporarily interrupting Woody's attempts to use Bonnie's computer.
44	[[/folder]]
45
46	[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
47	* In ''Film/TheMatrix'' the rebels seems to adopt their handles as their names. Amazingly enough, their aliases are cool and mysterious... presumably because having a character named "[=Yoda324=]" would have ruined the tone of the movie.
48	* ''Film/{{Hackers}}'', oddly enough, averts this partly; most people use two word phrases, like Acid Burn or Crash Override.
49	* Creator/KevinSmith appeared in ''Film/LiveFreeOrDieHard'' as a PlayfulHacker who considered his hacking SeriousBusiness and went by the XtremeKoolLetterz name of [=W4RL0CK=] or some such thing.
50	* In ''Film/Transformers2007'', Sam Witwicky's [=eBay=] username of [=LadiesMan217=] attempts to suggest he's more popular with women than he actually is[[note]]Various adaptations and foreign dubs of the film change the term "ladies' man" to various phrases with similar connotations, such as "playboy217", "[=DonJuan217=]" (after the famed [[Literature/DonJuan Spanish womanizer]]), and "hotstud217"[[/note]]. When the Decepticons find a listing of Sam's with an item containing directions to the film's MacGuffin and track him down, Barricade ends up addressing Sam by his alias because they don't know his real name.
51	-->''"Are you username [=LadiesMan217=]?!?"''
52	* In ''Film/JayAndSilentBobStrikeBack'', the title characters are badmouthed by a bunch of anonymous internet loudmouths, all of whom are using an alias online. The most obnoxious of whom was named after an actual {{Troll}} on Kevin Smith's forums. (Perhaps a troll's CMOA.)
53	* Thor trash-talks Korg's rival in ''VideoGame/{{Fortnite}}'' in ''Film/AvengersEndgame'' who has the online alias of [=NoobMaster69=].
54	[[/folder]]
55
56	[[folder:Literature]]
57	* In Tad Williams' ''Literature/{{Otherland}}'' novels, one of the main characters goes by "T4b". Presumably pronounced "Tab".
58	* ''Literature/{{Animorphs}}'' mostly features the "modern" idea of names: [=YeerKiller9=], [=Gump8293=], etc. But it also has some more hacker-like ones, like [="Govikes"=] and [="YrkH8er"=].
59	* Lisbeth Salander from ''Literature/TheMillenniumTrilogy'' goes by the hacker name "Wasp," which becomes a plot point as Mikael is able to track her down using it. She initially had a tattoo of one on her neck, but ''The Girl with the Wasp Tattoo'' doesn't have the same ring to it.
60	* ''Literature/SnowCrash'' has [=Da5id=] and, of course, Hiro Protagonist. They go by that in meat-space, too.
61	* All the hackers in Creator/VernorVinge's novella "Literature/TrueNames" use these to keep their identities secret from the cops ("The Great Enemy") as well as each other. Mr. Slippery, Erythrina, Wiley J. Bastard, The Slimy Limey, DON.MAC, and The Mailman are just some of the characters known mainly or exclusively by their aliases.
62	* In ''Literature/TheRomulanWay'' by Creator/DianeDuane, it's explained that the Romulans' [[FantasticNamingConvention secret fourth names]] originated as online handles on the Vulcan version of the Internet.
63	* In ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', characters tend to get referred to more often by their {{MMORPG}} characters' names than their real ones, both in-series and out. A few characters' aliases are derived from their real names; for example, Kazuto Kirigaya goes by "Kirito" and Shino Asada goes by "Sinon". Asuna using her real name in ''Aincrad'' is cited by some characters as proof that she's a newbie (she adopts the aliases "Titania" and "Erika" in later games).
64	* ''Literature/HalfPrince'' has most of the characters refer to each other by their Second Life character's name once they meet offline, because it's simply easier for them to recognize each other this way.
65	* ''Literature/LogHorizon'': Most characters also use usernames instead of their real names, when even some of them have friends who've learned their real names. At least three characters are known to have derived their username from their real name - Kei "Shiroe" Shirogane, Marie "Maryelle" Sakamoto, and... Naotsugu "Naotsugu" Hasegawa.
66	* ''Literature/InfiniteDendrogram'' has a few cases of "clever" usernames backfiring on their users:
67	** Reiji and Shuichi Mukudori named their [=MMO=] characters "Ray Starling" and "Shu Starling", and are fully open about being brothers. This is such a blatant case of ThisIsMyNameOnForeign that Reiji accidentally doxes both himself and his brother the first time he meets another Dendrogram player in real life.
68	** "Marie Adler" [[TheRoleplayer roleplays as a journalist]], styling herself after an obscure manga character with the same name. In real life she's the author of said manga, trying to better immerse herself in the character's head. [[spoiler:She is actually far stronger than she appears, being the [[UltimateGamer386 legendary hitman PKer]] known as the [[HeroKiller Superior Killer]]. [[EverybodyKnewAlready Which everyone familiar with her manga has figured out already]], because the manga Marie is ''[[PaperThinDisguise a hitman disguised as a journalist]]''.]]
69	[[/folder]]
70
71	[[folder:Live-Action TV]]
72	* In one episode of the 11th season of ''Series/LawAndOrderSpecialVictimsUnit'' there is a guy who goes by "Master Bater".
73	* In an episode of ''Series/MyFamily'' Ben is getting advice from a forum. A joke is made about the wisdom in getting advice from someone going by the name "[=Yoda2=]".
74	* In one episode of ''Series/TheDrewCareyShow'', Drew, as [=BeerStud2=], has cybersex with a woman calling herself [=HoneyBee28=], who turns out to be his SitcomArchnemesis Mimi.
75	* In ''Series/SexAndTheCity'', Stanford uses the screen name [=Rick9Plus=] on a gay hook-up site, and ends up having cybersex with someone calling himself [=BigTool4U=]. More mundanely, when Carrie sets up her first AOL account, she chooses the username "shoegal".
76	* In one episode of ''Series/{{Elementary}}'', Sherlock discovered a potential suspect who had been online with the victim, but was confused as to why a male suspect would call himself "Lego Lass". When they met him, he explained he was "[[Franchise/TheLordOfTheRings Legolas5]]".
77	* In ''[[Series/BrooklynNineNine Brooklyn Nine-Nine]]'', Corey Park, an internet hacker, hacks into the Nine-Nine's computer system under the alias Savant. When Terry introduces him as Corey Park, he angrily exclaims that his name is Savant. In another episode, Terry and Charles find a hacker named Pandemic.
78	[[/folder]]
79
80	[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
81	* Deckers in ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' used mysterious and cool names if they were established and competent and ridiculous and common aliases if they were newbies. The first type were usually used as runner aliases as well.
82	[[/folder]]
83
84	[[folder:Video Games]]
85	* ''VideoGame/ANNOMutationem'': [[BigBad C]] takes uses of an AI hub called [[NamesGivenToComputers The Prophet]] to send an e-mail to Ryan under the alias of 'The Holy Grail' with secret information about [[{{Panacea}} N540]] with the intent of luring him close enough to capture him.
86	* In ''VisualNovel/DaughterForDessert'', [=KathyKat=] is the author of several stories on erotica websites where the main characters have striking resemblances to the protagonist and Amanda.
87	* Several are revealed after completing ''Lair of the Shadow Broker'' in ''VideoGame/MassEffect2''. Miranda Lawson fittingly goes by [=LawBringerSR2=]. Jack uses [=Jck_60734=], [=jkz0-19510=], and, (for a submission to a professional poetry forum), Jaqueline Nought. Legion humorously goes by [=Infiltrait0rN7=] for his MMO gamer profile.
88	* In ''VideoGame/DisneyMagicKingdoms'', during a ''WesternAnimation/TurningRed'' sidequest, Priya mentions "[=PurplHairGrl1989=]" presumably the alias of the unnamed goth girl she danced with at Tyler's birthday party.
89	* Snake Fist in ''[[VideoGame/FirstEncounterAssaultRecon F.E.A.R 2: Project Origin]]'', AKA Terry Halford. His 90's style handle is in-keeping with his status as PluckyComicRelief who serves as a slightly awkward MisterExposition and a VoiceWithAnInternetConnection [[spoiler: Until his [[PlayerPunch untimely death]]]].
90	* In ''VideoGame/TheSims3'', there is a Sim in Sunset Valley who goes only by his online alias, "[=Cycl0n3 Sw0rd=]".
91	* Many people in ''VideoGame/DeusExHumanRevolution'' have online aliases. The most prominent is probably Francis Pritchard's "[=Nucl3arsnake=]".
92	* An interesting case in ''VideoGame/{{Uplink}}''. The online handle that you choose for yourself at the beginning is also used as your ''legal name'' when you hack the Social Security or law enforcement databases. That's right, your Social Security Number belongs to a person legally named [=L33tH4x0r=]. Everybody else just goes by their normal name, including the world's top hackers.
93	* Matt Miller, the leader of the Deckers gang in ''VideoGame/SaintsRowTheThird'', uses [=R4gn4r0k=] as his alias, though that only comes up in supplemental material.
94	* Marcus Halloway in ''VideoGame/WatchDogs2'' goes by "[=Retr0=]" in online hacking circles, even before he joined [=DedSec=]. Josh, another [=DedSec=] member, uses "Hawt Sauce" as his handle.
95	* In ''VideoGame/LifeIsStrange'', Max goes by "Noir Angel". A ShoutOut to another [[Series/DarkAngel heroine named Max]] with strange powers.
96	* ''VideoGame/QuantumProtocol'': The Quantum members and other significant characters are usually referred to with their online handles. Though Leo uses his RealNameAsAnAlias.
97	** Queen's real name is Elaine.
98	** Esper's real name is Irene.
99	** Aurora's real name is Alyssa Neskara.
100	** Idol's real name is Lisa.
101	** Omega, the leader of the city, has Kyril as his real name.
102	** [[spoiler:Kaia uses her species name, Dragoon, as her handle.]]
103	* All the main characters in ''VisualNovel/{{SC2VN}}'' use their online gaming aliases. Their real names are never revealed.
104	* ''VideoGame/StrayGods'' has the latest Oracle of Delphi as a computer genius whose username is "Oracle" (which is how Apollo realised who they were).
105	[[/folder]]
106
107	[[folder:Web Comics]]
108	* In ''Webcomic/PennyArcade'':
109	** [[http://www.penny-arcade.com/comic/2005/1/31/ Annarchy]] is of the "hacker" variety:
110	--->'''Tycho''': You don't even have a handle yet. Real gamers have handles.\
111	'''Ann''': Annarchy. I'm ''Annarchy''.
112	** Strips portraying {{MMORPG}}s tend to use more of the XtremeKoolLetterz variety.
113	* Ben from ''Webcomic/{{Loserz}}'' is "[=zombiejuiceYUM=]". Jodie is "[=p0rnstar6912=]". See [[http://the-qlc.com/loserz/go/241 this strip]].
114	* In ''Webcomic/TheNoob'', a little girl gets perma-banned by the KKK-like moderator without so much as a word of explanation, when he mistakes her character for the protagonist's, due to them having similar (but not identical) appearance and name.
115	* Chat nicknames used in ''Webcomic/GeneralProtectionFault'': [[Film/TheDayTheEarthStoodStill Gort]] ([[spoiler:Nick]]), Pookel ([[spoiler:Ki]]), [[Literature/TheLordOfTheRings B0R0]][[LeetLingo M1R]] (Yoshi).
116	* In ''Webcomic/JoeVsElanSchool'', Joe posts on Website/{{Reddit}} under the name "gzasmyhero," which he chooses as a tribute to the GZA from the Music/WuTangClan.
117	[[/folder]]
118
119	[[folder:Web Original]]
120	* ''WebVideo/TheGuild'', being a show on the web about gamers, definitely uses this. We sort of know the real names of the characters - all but Tink - but they rarely get used in favour of their gamer handles.
121	* All of the main protagonists (yes, all 16 of them) of ''Webcomic/{{Homestuck}}'' have "chumhandles" that they use in their in-universe version of Instant Messager. All of them reflect the user's interests, personality or [[{{Foreshadowing}} foreshadows]] their role in the series. They also follow a [[ThemeTable specific pattern]] of ThemeNaming.
122	** Notably averted by the White Text Guy, who communicates to the protagonists through their IM clients, but doesn't have a chumhandle. Or even a computer.
123	** Also, a good part of the fandom has adopted online aliases following the convention of two words in Lower CamelCase.
124	** And then parodied when we see the usernames of some [=GameFAQs=] posters, such as "[=ChaosDemon=]" and "winnie the poop 2".
125	* Website/LibraryOfTheDamned has a Command Staff Chat for the Riffleet. So far, we only know that agig (The Character) is agigtheadmiral, thanks to a gag involving XtremeKoolLetterz.
126	* Everyone in ''Franchise/{{Noob}}'', that happens almost entirely in a MMORPG. Only the (real) names of the main characters, some people from their faction, the game's creator, the recurring Game Master and the recurring hacker are known.
127	* A Website/SomethingAwful {{cyberpunk}} parody included, among others, a character known as "[[WebOriginal/LOLCats Haz Cheezburger]]."
128	* In the SharedUniverse of ''Webcomic/{{Sunstone}}'' and ''Webcomic/BloodStain'', the main characters of both comics interact with each other through the in-universe MMORPG. We see in-game usernames in a supplemental comic, and we see a subversion for this trope; the usernames are clear references to their real names. Ally's and Dr. Stein's usernames are puns on their names ("allycat", "bloodstein"), while Lisa's and Elliot's are goofy but still clear ("liiiiiiiiisa", "ellyoldcoot").
129	* ''WebVideo/SwordArtOnlineAbridged'' uses most of the names from its source material, but throws in some twists. Agil goes by [[RealMenWearPink "Tiffany"]] in this treatment for as yet unexplained reasons, even though he's fully aware it's a woman's name. Klein got trapped in ''SAO'' under his test character profile, [[EmbarrassingNickname BallsDeep69]], so soon his guildmates think "My name is Klein!" is how he says hello. And Kazuto gains enough notoriety in Aincrad as Kirito to have his preferred handle already taken when he tries out ''Alfheim Online'' - after hours spent going through permutations such as [=Kirito1, Kirito2, or Kiritwo=], he ends up logging in under [[LeetSpeek xVx_K1r1t0_xVx_]][[SanitySlippage KillMe]]; Kazuto shortens it when talking with Leafa, aka Suguha, who realizes who he is as a result and expresses squick-induced outrage back in realspace.
130	[[/folder]]
131
132	[[folder:Western Animation]]
133	* ''WesternAnimation/{{Arthur}}'': In "Buster the Myth Maker", Brain posts false information online under the name "Deep Float". The name comes from the ice cream shop his family owns.
134	* ''WesternAnimation/MollyOfDenali'': Randall's online name is "Randallpants," revealed in ''[[Recap/MollyOfDenaliS1E23SealDanceSnowboardingQyahStyle Snowboarding Qyah Style]]."
135	* In ''WesternAnimation/PhineasAndFerb'', Doofenshmirtz is on a dating site, and goes by the name of [=StrudelCutie4427=]. Unfortunately, his date thinks Perry is much cuter.
136	* On ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'', Stan's ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' character was actually "[=Loves2Spooge=]". Leading to the line:
137	-->"I heard... iLoveSpooge2 lives here?"
138	* In one ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'' episode, The Monarch's date (whom he found online) for a double-date with Phantom Limb and Dr. Girlfriend thought "The Monarch" was one of these.
139	* Multiple account names for [[FictionalSocialNetwork Penstagram]] are shown over the course of ''WesternAnimation/TheOwlHouse''. Most of them are just some sort of play on their names (''EM_IRA'', ''ALABOMDOR_1'', ''RAINEY.DAY'', etc) but a few of them like Eberworlf's (''RAISEDBYDIREWOLVES'') and [[spoiler:Hunter's]] (''[=RULERZREACHF4N=]'') do hint at some HiddenDepths.
140	[[/folder]]

Context Main / OnlineAlias