My Names

[poliphilo]

I've never used a pseudonym before. And I wouldn't have done so here on LJ if it hadn't been the etiquette (so to speak.) I don't mind people knowing who I really am- and if you want to be told I'll tell you, no qualms.

But I like my adopted name. I've started to identify with it. It's more elegant and eloquent than the real thing.

But what's with this "reality" business anyway? Which is more real- the name my parents gave me or the one I have given myself?

My real first name derives from an ancient Roman family, the most famous member of which has a leading role in Shakespeare. It's further identified with the guy who set the early Christian fashion for going out into the Egyptian desert and hallucinating (otherwise known as monasticism.)

Wanna have a guess? No prizes I'm afraid.

And my last name is an odd little monosyllable of uncertain derivation. It might mean "grey" or it might have something to do with milling.

But Poliphilo- he's this Italian Renaissance Alice who scuttles through Wonderland (in search of his girlfriend) oohing and aahing at the architecture and furnishings. I didn't spend a whole lot of time choosing the name, but I find it fits very comfortably. Lover of Many Things is what it means.

I want it on my tombstone.

Comments

[karenkay.livejournal.com]

I wondered what your real name was a while back, and you've dropped enough clues that I could figure it out in a quick Google.

I've never used a fake name. I think that's because when I first started using the Internet, in 1980, no one did. It seems silly to me. I didn't realize it was etiquette on LJ.

In any case, I do like your nom de net.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

"Etiquette" may be a bit strong- but most people seem to treat LJ as a masked ball. When I first signed up I thought it would be fun to be mysterious.

I guess now that I've unmasked myself I might as well put my "real" name on my info page.

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

I like the comparison of LJ to a masked ball.

I find it easier to be truthful in this forum, where I don't know who might stumble across my journal, when my identity is obscured.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

I wonder my writing will change in any way now that I've disclosed my name.....

[queen-in-autumn.livejournal.com]

As soon as I connected with some of my offline friends who were also on LJ I started a new filter which kept them out of certain entries.

A few of my LJ-only friends now know my real name, but I feel like they still primarily know me as qos. It will be interesting to find out what happens if/when more intersection between the two worlds occurs.

I've never understood having a pseudonymous LJ handle but a real photo as an icon. Speaking of which: is that actually you in your icon, or is that some famous person I don't recognize? I've always just assumed it was you. My sister has an evocative username, but has her own photo on her user info page.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

The only LJers I know in person are my son and daughter. Oh, and my wife of course. I have never made any very big deal of hiding my true identity. It's been more a case of going along with the masquerade for the fun of it.

And, yes, that is my own face in the icon. A recent picture, taken last year.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

In my first week or so on LJ I adopted a different fictional persona for each post. That soon palled.