How about a voluntary register of namechanges?

[Carmenere]

So when you change your posting name you can say yay or nay to it being made public.
My reasoning is that although it is important to be able to change names for privacy issues, it is very confusing when names are changed either for fun or because the poster just fancies a change.
So if we had an optional facility to see previous names on, say, the persons profile it might save some confusion. What do you think?

Oh nooooooooooooooo! Sacred bleu!!!

Except I used to be SleepyJess. I'll admit that one.. but no others!!!!!

But that is my point, you only have to admit to the ones you want to, I had no idea you were SleepyJess!!

I think that seems OK as long as it's voluntary. I changed a few months ago and wondered if I should fess up when I started posting under my new moniker...then decided that since no-one really knew me before it was a bit presumptuous to think that anyone would be interested. But it's interesting to know who was who....

But did you eve 'know' SleepyJess Carmenere so is it even relevent?

Mine is a name change that I changed for one particular thread that I started, but I quite like it now and don't think I will change back. I don't want my old name revealing but I wasn't that prolific, despite being here for almost 3 years so I don't think it would make much difference.

I diddn't 'know' SleepyJess but I did read words written by her almost everyday so it would be nice to know you(SHPHH) were her just for continuity sake.

Oh, well that's flattering Carmenere (I didn't mean know know anyway!) And here's me liking to pretend I am not even on MN that much...

If it was voluntray, yes. Otherwise, no as many people name change and don't want it to be known who they were before.

Can't see an overwhelming yes vote to this, sorry

I used to be crap at namechanges. People used to say to me "Is that you SJ?" when I had changed for reasons of sensitivity! (And NOT because it hadn't worked a la Is That You UCM! )

I have got better at changed style/details a a bit now when I need to be incognito for any reason.

I just thought that an option to be able to see who used to be who would be useful. But obviously totally optional, I know how much we depend on privacy here.