ECN Forum
Posted By: Kenbo User names - 10/14/06 01:12 PM
How did you decide on your username? There must be some good tales to tell about them.

I got mine becouse when I was an apprentice some time ago (26 years)I was an active outdoor sort of chap, sailing, hikeing, shooting, scouts all that kind of stuff. Well about the same time there was an obscure moive (had a couple of spin offs) going about called "Rambo" So one of the others started calling me Kenbo..
But it never stuck except within my group of apprentcies. So I thought this was a good place to revive Kenbo

Kenny
Posted By: HotLine1 Re: User names - 10/14/06 01:58 PM
Thought about it, and decided on my business name. So much for originality

John
Posted By: ShockMe77 Re: User names - 10/14/06 02:04 PM
Shock Me is a Kiss song with a few electrical referrences in it.

For instance, some of the lyrics are....

"My insulations gone, girl you make me overload."

I thought it'd be appropriate to to combine the two.
Posted By: Almost Fried Re: User names - 10/14/06 02:40 PM
Almost became a statistic on two occasions involving 277/480. Didja know that 277 is the lowest commercial voltage whereby an arc, once established, is self sustaining???
Posted By: Eddy Current Re: User names - 10/14/06 02:52 PM
Eddy currents are currents induced in metals. They tend to move in a circular fashion similar to the eddies of a river. Taken from my Delmar text.
Posted By: Roger Re: User names - 10/14/06 02:56 PM
Don't know why, it's just that everyone around me has been calling me by it as far back as I can remember. [Linked Image]

Roger
Posted By: Bill Addiss Re: User names - 10/14/06 03:05 PM
Quote
Don't know why, it's just that everyone around me has been calling me by it as far back as I can remember.
I thought it was because you understand everything, as in "Roger that" ...

[Linked Image]
Bill

(because I get all the bills...)
[Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by Bill Addiss (edited 10-14-2006).]
Posted By: Dnkldorf Re: User names - 10/14/06 04:09 PM
You would have to ask my mother..
Posted By: Rewired Re: User names - 10/14/06 04:31 PM
Picked mine because its simply what I do every day, "rewiring" for whatever reason..

That and because some days I feel I am completely off my rocker and am said to be "rewired upstairs" [Linked Image]

A.D
Posted By: hackelect Re: User names - 10/14/06 04:59 PM
Because there's always room for a differing point of view.....
Posted By: ngoody24 Re: User names - 10/14/06 05:29 PM
mine is ngoody24 because the n is for nathan and my last name is goodyear,and i was 24 when i made the name up. so i just combined everything
Posted By: Roger Re: User names - 10/14/06 05:40 PM
Bill,
Quote
I thought it was because you understand everything, as in "Roger that" ...
I just nod whether I understand or not, so you may have a point. [Linked Image]

Now,
Quote
Bill

(because I get all the bills...)
this gives me an idea, what is your address? [Linked Image] [Linked Image]

Roger
Posted By: e57 Re: User names - 10/14/06 05:47 PM
User name and e-mail prefix all the way from when back when you could have less than 4 characters - now I am forced to have much longer names and such. And consists of Electrician - 5 days a week - and also 7 days a week.... No - really the number is a left over from my days as a bike messenger my employee number was 357, 1857, 2257 and my favorite, 0057 in three cities. Boston, NYC, and SF. And radio handle was '57' in all three. I used to ride as a bike messenger for fun believe it or not! And would do it between construction work with a hyatus for military service - and finally gave it up 5-6 years ago. I still have some friends from back in those days who still (even though they know my name...) refer to me as 57... And that number shows up in all kinds of places - I have had that number show up without asking for it in licence plates, phone numbers and other places. As well as an employee number as an electrician. And no, it is not in any user names, PIN's or Passwords of any use for banks or accounts.... Too many people know that numbers attachment to me.
Posted By: Elviscat Re: User names - 10/14/06 06:02 PM
I have a cat, his name is Elvis....
Posted By: Tiger Re: User names - 10/14/06 06:07 PM
I have a cat. His name is Sparky. He's a Tiger stiped cat...and my business name is Tiger Electrical Contracting Co.

Dave
Posted By: Surfinsparky Re: User names - 10/14/06 06:16 PM
Because nobody works when the surf is up!!
Posted By: mxslick Re: User names - 10/14/06 07:00 PM
Mine came from my motocross days in the early 1990's. I was riding this old, slow 1978 YZ125 dirtbike at a local practice track. One of the factory pros of the era was there and made a comment to one of my buddies that "The guy on that old bike sure is slick out there."

When I came off the track for a break my buddy said "You've got your nickname now. You're Slick."

Mx = motocross and Slick

I hope to return to racing again soon, and until I earn my standing I'll be running #50. [Linked Image]

My cat's name is Gizmo. [Linked Image]
Posted By: iwire Re: User names - 10/14/06 07:20 PM
When I was a kid (10 years old or so) I had a brother in law with 'iwire' as his license plate.

It became my email address and later my user name at any forums.

For those that don't know my name is Bob

Now where do I send my bills?
Posted By: wa2ise Re: User names - 10/14/06 08:26 PM
It's my ham radio callsign. Got it 30 years ago.
Posted By: Merlin Re: User names - 10/14/06 08:49 PM
There used to be this electronic game called merlin. (I barely remember it) Anyway, I guess I used to play it all the time. So my uncle started calling me Merlin. To this day he still calls me that. So, it is just a nickname that very few people know, and so I though it would be a good username.
Posted By: denny3992 Re: User names - 10/14/06 09:44 PM
well, names dennis as for 3992 it was my number assignment in our fire dept

fire district 39
second lieutenant 92
Posted By: mahlere Re: User names - 10/14/06 09:52 PM
and bob, i just thought you were a big Will Smith fan [Linked Image]
Posted By: electure Re: User names - 10/14/06 10:03 PM
During the 2000 Presidential Race the jobsite radio mentioned the "electure" of a candidate right after I had given a safety meeting/Code talk to the crew.
One of them mentioned that I was the real "electure". (yeah, I get a little carried away over safety & Code)
The nickname stuck like glue. I couldn't have gotten rid of it had I wanted to.

When I got here to ECN, there was already a guy named Scott(35), so electure it became.
Posted By: mamills Re: User names - 10/14/06 10:13 PM
mamills...Michael Armstrong MILLS.

Original...ain't it. [Linked Image]

Mike (mamills)
Posted By: Theelectrikid Re: User names - 10/14/06 10:55 PM
Mine's self explanatory. I'm 14 y.o for those of you that don't know.

Ian A.
Posted By: macmikeman Re: User names - 10/15/06 01:43 AM
At Yahoo macmike was allready taken, so was macman, so the Yahoo automatic system suggested macmikeman and there it was. I like my apple computers.
Posted By: macmikeman Re: User names - 10/15/06 01:46 AM
Surfing sparky, I see you are from Merrit Island. I used to live out at 5th ave south in Cocoa Beach many moons ago. Waited tables at Fisherman's wharf at night and surfed all day. Those were the days. Then I moved to where the real surf is located.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: User names - 10/15/06 02:07 AM
It was my old PROFS ID at IBM gfretwel@atlvmic1
When AOL gave me 9 bytes I put the last "L" back.

Greg Fretwell
Posted By: PEdoubleNIZZLE Re: User names - 10/15/06 02:34 AM
I was a senior in High School in 2003, and Snoop Dogg's song "From da Chuuuch to da Palace" cam out, and it's first few words were "Tizzle Dizzle... Snoopy D-O-double Gizzle"

I joined the drumline in marching band earlier that year. We were a bunch of misfits (being obnoxious, hyper, and able to count to 16 were major requirements for drumline,) and everyone had obnoxious nicknames (Wedgie, T-Dubbs, Gouda, Party Socks, etc.) mine was Penn-Dawg, a "gangsta" name for a not so gansta person. I figured if I was gonna have a gangsta name, I'd go all out...
I'm the Joshy P-E-double-NIZZLE

Also:
georgeharrisonfan: self explanatory. Used it here once back in the day, but forgot my login info.
Posted By: luckyshadow Re: User names - 10/15/06 02:48 AM
luckyshadow came from the 2 dogs I had when I needed a screen name some years ago. I had to create a screen name so I leaned back in my chair to think about it and my Great Dane was there waiting to be pet and beside her was my old Beagle. The Beagle's name was lucky and the Great Dane's name was shadow so I became luckyshadow. Now that their no longer here I keep the name as a way to remember them
Posted By: HLCbuild Re: User names - 10/15/06 02:59 AM
Harold Leff Contracting...and I build...seemed appropriate at the time!
Posted By: skipr Re: User names - 10/15/06 05:33 AM
Quote: Mine's self explanatory. I'm 14 y.o for those of you that don't know.
Ian A.

I thought this was a forum for professionals.
Posted By: pauluk Re: User names - 10/15/06 07:55 AM
Name = Paul. Location = U.K.

Quote
I thought this was a forum for professionals.

And possible future professionals...... [Linked Image]

Quote
I have a cat,

Shouldn't that be the other way around?

Dogs have owners. Cats have staff. [Linked Image]
Posted By: Trumpy Re: User names - 10/15/06 09:37 AM
OK,
Mine is pretty simple.
My name is Mike Trump.
I have been known as Trumpy since I started school in the 70's.
It stuck and there you go.
It is a convention here in NZ that if you have a one syllablle((sp??) surname, you instantly get a y at the end of it.
It is an affectionate name.
I have however been referred to throughout my Fire Service career as <Insert Rank> Trump.
Not unlike the military. [Linked Image]
Posted By: britspark Re: User names - 10/15/06 09:47 AM
Mine is also obvious,

brit = British spark = sparky

add the two together and you get Britspark.

oh well its not original but it will do, i couldnt use my real nickname as it would not get posted !!!

Britspark
Also Known As John Harrison
Posted By: WFO Re: User names - 10/15/06 01:23 PM
MXSlick quote:

"Mine came from my motocross days in the early 1990's."

So I guess MXSlick already knows what WFO stands for. For the rest of you, it stands for "Wide Freaking Open" (cleaned up slightly for public consumption) and referred to somebody whose throttle hand was stronger than his brain.

Now it just stands for "Wide, Fat, and Old". [Linked Image]
Posted By: circuit man Re: User names - 10/15/06 01:38 PM
i guess i came up with mine because i'm always working on some different circuits in my shop.especially when i was younger.
Posted By: RODALCO Re: User names - 10/15/06 02:36 PM
Mine came up as a brain wave while building some 230 Volts mains despiking filters.

I was pondering of a name for them and RODALCO appeared in some of my rusty braincells.

R stands for Raymond,
O Orsoy (surname)
D deFlines (surname)
ALCO from the railway locomotives in the USA.

It sounded ok hence the name stuck.
Also use the RF xxx plus 3 digit number for asset numbers on equipment, like timeclocks and the like.
Posted By: BigJohn Re: User names - 10/15/06 06:54 PM
It's either because I'm 6'3, 200 pounds and John is my given name...

OR!

Maybe I just like large toilets. [Linked Image]

-John
Posted By: PE&Master Re: User names - 10/15/06 08:06 PM
Well, since it took me 15 years of work to get my master electrician license and professional engineering license thought I'd use it for something.
Posted By: renosteinke Re: User names - 10/15/06 10:19 PM
I formerly used my proper name... but, alas, I was confused with my Father, who has a similar name. So, being in Reno....
Posted By: Zapped Re: User names - 10/15/06 11:39 PM
Need I explain?
Posted By: TwinCitySparky Re: User names - 10/16/06 12:26 AM
Cause I'm all over the Twin Cities and I'm proud to be called a sparky!
Posted By: bigrockk Re: User names - 10/16/06 03:52 AM
Well some time ago I needed a user name for, well who knows what. But I do remember I was having a pint at the time and the name of the brewery that brewed it was "BIGROCK" so I tried that but I guess somebody had beat me too it, so feeling lazy I just added an extra "k" to the end of it. It worked for whatever I was trying to "signup" for at the time and I have been using it ever since.

Hmmm...now I feel like a pint [Linked Image]
http://www.bigrockbeer.com
Posted By: Scott35 Re: User names - 10/16/06 04:21 AM
My ECN "Handle" - Scott35 - came from my age, back when first becoming a registered member - along with my first name.

The more current version would be Scott41, which will be revised to Scott42 in a few weeks!

RONALCO:

Quote

ALCO from the railway locomotives in the USA.

That's Cool!!! [Linked Image]

Do you prefer ALCO Steamers - such as 4-8-8-4 "Big Boys", 4-6-6-4 "Challengers" and 4-8-4 "Northerns";
- or -
ALCO Diesels - such as the RS-2's, RS-3's, S-2 yard goats, RS32's and Century C636's.

There's a Railroad Museum near us (within 100 miles near, that is!) which has an operating RS-2, + several other ALCO Diesels (which need restoration).
For $20.00, you get to operate the RS-2 for like 30 minutes or so, running around some local trackage.
The 30 minutes includes instructions on how to operate the Locomotive. Instructor remains in-cab throughout the run time.
Very nice experience!

Scott35
Posted By: mxslick Re: User names - 10/16/06 05:26 AM
Quote
MXSlick quote:

"Mine came from my motocross days in the early 1990's."

So I guess MXSlick already knows what WFO stands for. For the rest of you, it stands for "Wide Freaking Open" (cleaned up slightly for public consumption) and referred to somebody whose throttle hand was stronger than his brain.

Now it just stands for "Wide, Fat, and Old". [Linked Image]

Yes indeed I do, and I knew several riders who fit that first description!!

I also know someone who was wide, fat (but only 18) and rode a KX-80 Big Wheel.
(For you non-motocross folks, picture the fat guys on minibikes and that was this guy.) [Linked Image]

Now I'm just old...
Posted By: Luketrician Re: User names - 10/16/06 02:58 PM
Well, as far back as I can remeber. Since I started in the trade back in 97', when somebody needed an electrician out on the job. Most of the time they would just 'holler' out , "hey lec-trician!" Gotta love that southern slang! Some other journ' freinds of mine started calling me Luketrician, sounds close to the afformentioned above.

Luke [Linked Image]
Posted By: Sixer Re: User names - 10/16/06 04:24 PM
Mine is another nic named after a cat. "Six Pack" has six toes on every foot. The name was shortened to Sixer.
Posted By: bigrockk Re: User names - 10/16/06 04:31 PM
Hey Sixer I noticed from a previous post that you are from the Trail area...I spent my teens in that area...your first name isn't Randy by any chance is it??
Posted By: napervillesoundtech Re: User names - 10/16/06 06:45 PM
I'm located in a city called naperville, and I mostly work as a sound technician, so thats where the name came from. I'm 18 y/o, and just getting started with electrical stuff.
Posted By: n1ist Re: User names - 10/16/06 07:07 PM
Just my callsign, like wa2ise. I've been a ham now 15 years, so it's almost like a second name.
Posted By: Jps1006 Re: User names - 10/16/06 07:52 PM
It's the screen name my dad came up with when he added an email account for me to his AOL account many years ago. It is my initials + the house address of the house I grew up in.
Posted By: C-H Re: User names - 10/16/06 09:43 PM
Simply my initials. I've gone by this nickname since school, since my name was too long for my friends to pronounce and too long to fit on the dotted line after "Name:" on the tests... [Linked Image]

I even sign my e-mails at work with a

//C-H
Posted By: Alan Belson Re: User names - 10/16/06 10:52 PM
My name isn't really Alan.

Pa went to register my birth, the Luftwaffe arrived early on one of their daily landscaping projects, the clerk [ understandably, a little distracted what with all the noise from the sirens, breaking windows, Spitfires, Heinkels, Wardens' whistles, etc., not to mention the bombs ] put the names in the register in the wrong order. Ma went Bananas, of course, but it was too late- no change permitted- ["There's a bleedin' war on mate!"]
Ma refused to use the "wrong" name and persisted in calling me Alan, which is who I am to all and sundry.....except...
to the French bureaucrats who will not accept 'Alan' and insist all documents for tax, social security, bank details, medical dossiers etc. carry my proper registered name which is.....

Not tellin yer!
Posted By: Mike Wescoatt Re: User names - 10/17/06 01:39 PM
WYSIWYG... This is the only forum that I use my actual name...
Elsewhere in the galaxy I go under Spaceman Spiff or Spaceman Spiffer after Calvin's (Calvin & Hobbes comic strip) alter ego. I had spikey blonde hair for a while and one of my work buddies called me that and it stuck.
He said I always know the answer and can always pull off an impossible "mission" in the last few moments.
Now if I could just remember where the keys are to my spaceship I'd be just dandy...
Posted By: Ann Brush Re: User names - 10/17/06 06:34 PM
Ann Brush = Ann Brush. Clear as mud?
Posted By: togol Re: User names - 10/17/06 09:43 PM
....Tom Golem....

my dads parents were Czech.sooooo

I guess that means one of my ancestors is still standing guard over the City of Prague....

Alan...errr, whomever ,
once again, you paint a absolutely hilarious picture of a truly terrifying time...did you ever write for Mel Brooks ??

[This message has been edited by togol (edited 10-17-2006).]
Posted By: Check Pilot Re: User names - 10/17/06 11:20 PM
"Check Pilot" -

Because I am one of those guys that checks out other pilots to make sure they are doing things correctly. I'm pretty much retired from that though after 30 years and for the last couple of years I'm going back to my old trade as an EC now.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: User names - 10/18/06 12:01 AM
Ever fly up the East River? Still curious about it. Avweb is not really commiting yet
Posted By: JoeTestingEngr Re: User names - 10/18/06 12:56 AM
I'll bite. Man made box canyon and a young pilot not as advanced as his new airplane. I didn't even take my check ride until I had 104 hours and I wouldn't have been up to an airplane as slippery as an SR-20 or 22. CFI's are human and need a little time to react.
Joe
Posted By: bot540 Re: User names - 10/18/06 02:12 AM
Bot-short for my hobby botany
540- I used to play an Ibanez 540 guitar
Posted By: stamcon Re: User names - 10/18/06 04:43 AM
Stamcon is an abbreviation for my company name - Stamatis Construction.

steve
Posted By: Sixer Re: User names - 10/18/06 04:45 AM
Hey bigrockk, you got it. Nice to see another "Trailite" on the forums.
Posted By: IanR Re: User names - 10/18/06 02:48 PM
IanR... well..... not much originality there, I guess [Linked Image]

[This message has been edited by IanR (edited 10-30-2006).]
Posted By: jeepmudman Re: User names - 10/19/06 04:02 AM
because I like to put my jeep in the mud man.
Posted By: OldAppy Re: User names - 10/19/06 07:28 AM
Old Appy

Because i was old when I did an apprenticeship :-)

[This message has been edited by OldAppy (edited 10-19-2006).]
Posted By: frenchelectrican Re: User names - 10/19/06 10:05 PM
well i did try to think my best way to describe my screenname or user name so i decided to use frenchelectrican so that way you guys know that i am oringally from France Metro De Paris [ City of Paris ]

but for my email address it is shorthanded of my bussiness name if you want my email address all you have to check the mail tab above this screen it will tell my email adress ( if more question just drop a line i will reply it )

Merci , Marc
Posted By: Niko Re: User names - 10/20/06 02:49 AM
Best sushi restaurant in San Jose
Posted By: Niko Re: User names - 10/20/06 02:50 AM
Edward was the Former name before i lost my log in password:
Posted By: BuggabooBren Re: User names - 10/20/06 03:43 AM
Etymology: earlier buggybow, bugger-bo, of unknown origin
1: an imaginary object of fear
2: something that causes fear or distress out of proportion to its importance

However, I doubled the 'g' (doubly feared?) and most would agree - of unknown origin.

And Bren, well, my family voted on that when Brenda Lee was popular in '62.

HI GUYS!!!
Posted By: Lostazhell Re: User names - 10/20/06 03:50 AM
Long Story.... The abridged version, I was dating a girl that used "CuteAzHell" for her screen name a looong time ago. I went into a chat room with her once, and she had some of her friends "clone" her name (ie. CuteAzHelI, CuteAzHeIl, etc.. in the font that the chat used, they all looked the same) I left the room and made "LostAzHell" and came back in... This along with my affinity for long road trips (CA 2 LI, NY X 10, CA - NH, CA 2 MO, CA 2 OH, and more.. ) The name just kinda stuck [Linked Image]
Posted By: ComputerWizKid Re: User names - 10/24/06 03:01 AM
Computer Wiz Kid = I'm Very Good at computers I can fix them and build them from parts. I'm not an electrican but I do follow the electrical trade and I do enjoy this forum
Posted By: RODALCO Re: User names - 10/24/06 10:50 AM
Scott35,

I prefer the diesel electrics to be honest,
They are in essence a powerstation on tracks.

Although the big boys are very impressive and hughe.
Posted By: Trainwire Re: User names - 10/24/06 12:11 PM
Trainwire

Because that is what I do.

Being "the" company electrician, I wind up doing lots of cool things, like designing interlocks so that we can have three sources of power on the train, or setting up the company LAN, but mostly crawling around in the cobwebs running wires.

Steam engines are cool, early elctrics cooler still, early deseasels ok, modern deseals have cool technology but look soulless.

Steve, AKA Trainwire
Posted By: Obsaleet Re: User names - 10/25/06 02:19 AM
mines my other brother obsolete. Just kiddin my last name is Saleet.
Posted By: Steve Miller Re: User names - 10/26/06 09:58 PM
Mine took a lot of thought ... then I looked at my drivers license
Posted By: Sixer Re: User names - 10/30/06 05:09 AM
Steve, I'm sure you've been asked this before, but do you Fly Like an Eagle on a Jet Airliner? [Linked Image]
Posted By: Steve Miller Re: User names - 10/30/06 07:12 PM
I wish ... I could use the "fortune & fame". Actually just the fortune.
Posted By: mountainman Re: User names - 10/30/06 09:01 PM
I live in a cabin in the Blue Ridge Mountains, friends kids started calling me mountainman every time I visited (long hair and beard).
Joe
Posted By: sandsnow Re: User names - 10/31/06 04:04 AM
Hey great topic.

I wanted something that would be about who I am was rather than what I do for a living.

sand = My parents had a homestead cabin in 29 Palms, CA. Been going there since I was 3 months old. I've tromped all over the desert there riding, shooting and climbing. The place is now being rehabbed by my wife and myself. We're finally going to get electricity there. And for those who know me, yes I pulled a permit.

snow = I always wanted a place in the mountains since I like that as much as the desert. I like skiing, hiking and climbing. We bought a place in a little town called Forest Falls, CA. Snowed so much in 2004 a tree took out my service riser. Guess I got my wish.
Posted By: Ryan_J Re: User names - 10/31/06 02:23 PM
Ryan_J = Ryan Jackson
Posted By: Attic Rat Re: User names - 11/04/06 12:45 AM
... Well,...it all started about 20 years ago when I was sent up into the attic of a house we were working in, and had to pull wire from the floor below, up, and make splices to an existing K&T circuit that was up there... little did I, or my boss know at the time that the attic was infested with rats, cuz I found their poop all over the place... It was then that I had found my true calling and develpoed my affinty for blown rock-wool insulation, and extreme, intolerable temperatures.. I was also the smallest of the crew, being a hefty 127 lbs, and was the only soul who was able to fit up there, as well as get thru the hatchway in the closet ceiling and the name stuck...like a glue trap...

[This message has been edited by Attic Rat (edited 11-03-2006).]
Posted By: Kenbo Re: User names - 11/04/06 03:06 PM
Fond memories of being sent up attics and under floors NOT

I was glad when new apprentices came on after me and I was no longer the "gofor" (go for this, go for that)
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