To ask why people admit they've name changed...

[Writerwannabe83]

And also why they do it?

Is it because you don't want people to search for and look through previous posts you have written under your long term username?

I don't understand the concept of changing your name to appear to be another member but then admit you aren't who your username says you are. Does it not defeat the purpose?

BTW - I'm not trying to be antagonistic, I'm just genuinely confused

They say "namechanged for this" so people don't look at their previously blank posting history, and assume they're a troll who's joined just to wind people up.

Couldn't a troll also say the same.

I only name change when I get bored of my current one, or to be festive

I name change regularly (maybe once a week), as I work with children and young people in a highly sensitive role and its just a complete no-no for me to be identified on MN, chattering away about my private life and swearing like a navvy.

Its easier than having to watch everything I say and over analyse whether or not I will be recognised by someone from 'RL'.

I would do it if I had something embarrassing to post or something that might out me I would NC.

And they namechange in the first place either because there is lots of stuff under their normal NN which might identify them, so they don't want it linked to their question about genital warts it whatever, or because there's lots of stuff about sex and drugs under their normal NN and they don't want it linked to their highly identifying new post about that shocking thing that the head of the PTA did at the school fete.

I don't care what they do but for the love of sweet baby cheeses, I wish they'd give up on the...

"Name changed but 'naice ham' 'pom bear' 'yoni massage'"

And more recently 'penis beaker'...like that's some sort of guarantee you haven't just joined

people say they are a regular and have namechanged when they are posting something very personal or identifiable, because they don't want stalkers mad playground mums, vile X's and interfering SILs etc looking up everything they have ever written.

if it's about poo or sex or anything else remotely controversial they feel the need to say "I am not new, this is not my first post" and quote threads of yesteryear as evidence of this fact for fear of people calling troll

When I was new to MN I had a long thread about my relationship break down and losing a baby. One or two posters were absolutely vile, and accused me of being a troll as it was too 'sad' to be true and I used to many sad faces......I was really sad!! 98% of the posters were lovely, but because of the horrible ones and the fact it was a very very dark time in my life I don't want to be reminded of it plus it was very very identifiable if anyone I knew in real life read it. So I namechanged but didn't post again for ages.

So the first time I posted I looked brand new but I had been hanging around for 18 months plus, so i said id namechanged. Which made me look suspicious.

It is very confusing

Yeah, but toting out old threads is pointless. I haven't been here long and I could easily say "Name change but pom bear, cutted up pear, penis beaker, naice". I have no clue what any of them are about (except penis beaker, it piqued my interest enough to google it).

I have had to name change on other forums due to people stalking me and it got annoying, but typically, I don't bother.

I don't name change but when I was new, I caused suspicion because apparently I was "Too confident for a newbie".

I'm not sure if I was supposed to prefix all my posts with "Pardon me for butting in M'am"

Yes, just so it doesn't come up in a search.

So if you change your name for a particular post so you aren't outed, i.e have your usual username recognised or have people go through previous posts, why admit to it?

Why not just post under your fake name and leave it at that?

Or is that why people admit to it, so other members will know why you don't have a history of posts?

Makes sense I suppose

I'm glad I posted this now as it has been bugging me for months

Because then people can PM you and ask who you are, if they want to know.

PMs never show up on search, so it works well.

To my mind it's not a "fake" name at all, and certainly not a sin to be "admitted" to. I've had a good twenty names over the years. They are all my names - some more prolific than others but all real.

Or I guess so people think you're not trolling, but you can also message MNHQ and get them to confirm 'this is a regular poster' if things get trollhunty, anyway.

I name change regularly. I've been here years but I don't have a 'usual' username because I've used probably upwards of 100 different ones in my time here.

I like the anonymity. I like to chat and debate but I'm not interested in making friends or becoming a 'trusted' poster.

At Derek!

I'm starting to wonder if it's time for a name change now. I once had a member bring into a discussion something I had talked about in a previous and totally unrelated thread (and she didn't do it in a good way) and it made me feel a bit angry to think someone would search back over my previous posts in order to do that.

I've also had people accuse me of being 'fake' and purposely starting troublesome threads (which I never do) because my username obviously demonstrates I'm actually an undercover journalist looking for stories

So people don't come on and say odd first post open

I name change if I want to post something sensitive (very rare), actually I didn't nc when posting something a few months ago that when put together with my previous posting history would have outed me to anyone who knew me in rl so I decided to go for a new name just incase

Sadly though it seems a lot of posters name change just to start a controversial thread.

Some blatantly admit it and say "NC in case people disagree"

If you have a strong opinion about something and you think it's worthy of a thread, at least grow a pair of tits and own that opinion.

Some people act like complete twats while hiding behind a name change, then slip back into their 'nice' name that most people like and respect them in.

Op, not open!