What’s in a Name?

“Marry me,” a guy on the corner begged me tonight as I headed into the grocery store.

“No, I don’t think I will.”

“But why not?” he persisted.

An answer came unbidden to mind and popped right out of my mouth.

“Well, for one thing, I’m quite attached to my name.”

What’s in a name? Shakespeare would say not much. And in theory, I agree. A rose by any other name does smell as sweet. But in practice, I disagree with the bard.

It’s important to own your name, especially on the Internet. Your screen name is your calling card, so it might as well be your own.

It took me some time and thought to associate my name with my online activity… as it does for me to do the same with my writing in general. But in the end, the benefits outweigh the drawbacks.

I’m enjoying building an evolving body of public work online. It’s pretty useful and always keeps me sharp.

What do you think about using your name online?