My
Online
Identity:
A
Journey
Through
the
Abbreviated
World
of
Web
Nicknames In
the
world
of
social
media
and
online
interactions,
we
are
often
known
by
our
usernames
or
nicknames
rather
than
our
real
names.
It's
a
tradition
that
dates
back
to
the
early
days
of
online
chat
rooms,
when
anonymity
was
a
critical
feature
for
safety
reasons.
But
even
as
the
internet
has
evolved
and
become
more
mainstream,
the
use
of
nicknames
persists. As
for
me,
I
go
by
the
name
A.J.
online.
It's
a
shorthand
version
of
my
first
and
middle
names,
and
it's
a
nickname
I've
been
using
since
I
was
a
kid.
I
like
it
because
it's
easy
to
remember,
it's
not
too
long
or
complicated,
and
it's
uniquely
my
own. Of
course,
I'm
not
the
only
one
who
uses
an
abbreviated
name
online.
There
are
hundreds
of
different
examples,
from
R.J.
to
J.T.
「学习更多 星座的月份知识请关注 :叮当星座时间网,Www.iDIngdAng.Cc］】to
E.J.
to
M.J.
These
names
are
often
chosen
for
similar
reasons
as
mine:
they're
short,
they're
catchy,
and
they're
easy
to
type. But
the
use
of
abbreviations
isn't
just
limited
to
first
and
middle
names.
Some
online
users
go
by
shortened
versions
of
their
last
names,
like
Babs
for
Barbara
or
Davey
for
Davidson.
Others
use
abbreviations
of
their
screen
names
or
favorite
bands,
like
MCR
for
My
Chemical
Romance
or
BVB
for
Black
Veil
Brides. For
some,
the
choice
of
a
nickname
is
a
way
to
express
their
personality
or
interests.
For
example,
a
person
who
is
into
fitness
might
go
by
the
name
FitJ
or
GymRat.
A
gamer
might
use
a
name
like
Xboxer
or
GameMaster.
And
of
course,
many
people
choose
names
that
are
humorous
or
ironic,
like
BiggieS
for
a
small
person
or
ShortyTall
for
a
tall
person. No
matter
what
the
reason
for
choosing
an
abbreviated
name,
it's
clear
that
these
nicknames
have
become
a
fundamental
part
of
our
online
identities.
They
offer
a
way
to
connect
with
other
people,
to
express
our
personalities,
to
share
our
interests
and
hobbies,
and
to
have
fun. So
the
next
time
you
see
a
username
like
A.J.
or
M.J.
online,
remember
that
there's
a
real
person
behind
the
abbreviation.
And
who
knows,
maybe
one
day
you'll
choose
an
abbreviated
name
of
your
own,
too.