Naming on a global scale - part 2
On January 20, 2006, I posted here “Naming on a global scale”. I’ve since realized that as nice as it is to have a globally unique name (or close to globally unique) on the Net, such a name isn’t all that great “in real life” unless you’re socially known by that name! I’ve been posting as “felicopter”, a name I’d been thrilled to find was almost entirely undiscovered by others, but few people who know me are aware of that name because it’s recent and not used much in general. (If I had a nickname by which I was well known, that might have been suitable, but I don’t.) So lately when I’ve met fellow posters in this blog, I’ve had to explicitly tell them that I post as “felicopter”.
So I’m switching to my third name for posting in this blog! I started as rohancat, then felicopter, and now I’ll be Rohan Jayasekera, which is my “real name”. It hadn’t occurred to me that I could reasonably do that because there are two far more famous Rohan Jayasekeras on the Web. If you’re wondering who they are, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohan_Jayasekera . I cleaned up that part of Wikipedia myself even though I’m not mentioned, which seemed a bit unfortunate to me until I realized that there is actually an advantage for me here: those two more famous people are not particularly active on the Net. In particular, they don’t blog. (I’m a bit worried that one of them, the Associate Editor of Index on Censorship, might start blogging at some point, but I could have him bumped off and everyone would assume that it was done by someone upset by one of the controversies he's been involved in.) Also, RohanJayasekera.com is mine.
So I’m posting this as Rohan Jayasekera. It also appears that Blogger is retroactively identifying my previous posts that way (though not my comments on posts by others). Rewriting history is sometimes useful. Or, from another perspective, this is another instance where “history is written by the victors”.
So I’m switching to my third name for posting in this blog! I started as rohancat, then felicopter, and now I’ll be Rohan Jayasekera, which is my “real name”. It hadn’t occurred to me that I could reasonably do that because there are two far more famous Rohan Jayasekeras on the Web. If you’re wondering who they are, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rohan_Jayasekera . I cleaned up that part of Wikipedia myself even though I’m not mentioned, which seemed a bit unfortunate to me until I realized that there is actually an advantage for me here: those two more famous people are not particularly active on the Net. In particular, they don’t blog. (I’m a bit worried that one of them, the Associate Editor of Index on Censorship, might start blogging at some point, but I could have him bumped off and everyone would assume that it was done by someone upset by one of the controversies he's been involved in.) Also, RohanJayasekera.com is mine.
So I’m posting this as Rohan Jayasekera. It also appears that Blogger is retroactively identifying my previous posts that way (though not my comments on posts by others). Rewriting history is sometimes useful. Or, from another perspective, this is another instance where “history is written by the victors”.
4 Comments on "Naming on a global scale - part 2":
Rohan / felicopter / rohancat -
I've had this same challenge for years, and in every field I've worked in.
Whle studying linguistics and philosophy of science, a very nice professor down at various American universities. I naively found it ironic at the time.
And in security *in* Toronto, one branch manager for a big five bank moved her way up into headoffice, where she turned her focus to ... security. She and I both speak to similar audiences on similar subjects in the same town.
But the most famous Carolyn Burke is by far the woman and author who took over my self-named domain name when I let the registration lapse several years ago: http://www.carolynburke.com. She writes world-reknowned biographies, with the most recent just published. Most of the media tracking I do uncovers her work.
Rohan - you're not alone!
Just as you, I am darn pleased with the domains I've kept: carolyn.org and clburke.com. Mine forever!
I have often struggled with the dilema of coming up with an online identity.
I have been known to so many for so long as Susyg, that when my more security conscious friends began suggesting that using my real name online was not such a good idea I had quite the debate on my hands.
How do I come up with a nickname that properly personifies me?
How do I let those who already know me know that this "stranger" who has messaged them is actually me?
I find that in the world of Live Journal when meeting people in real life we all now need to adapt to thinking one name but saying another.
My most current quest brings me to choosing a domain name. I am yet again torn between using my name or coming up with a "company name". I am also bouncing between using my tried and true susyg or going with the more serious and professional Susy-Glass.
How does one identify themselves to the world?
I belive that (and act on) one of the best forms of protecting one's identity is to make one's identity very public. That in publically declaring who I am, what I stand for, what I've done, who I know, etc, that I am in fact also making it extremely difficult for anyone to impersonate me. SO I use my own name online, offline, in the media, on my work. My real identity becomes a knowable part of the social fabric. And in times where anonymity is truly challenging to retain anyhow, this opposing tactic, to be fully known, seems somehow fulfilling.
While I advise clients on how to prtect data, I also advise them on brand strength - on ensuring they too are known for what they stand for, and will not make it easy for others to knock-off their products or services.
So, I'd go with the professional name. And photo. As I've done.
Rohan, I think you've forgotten about your most successful branding yet -- your sympatico username is one of the most unique things I've ever seen, and I think it makes an excellent brand for someone original enough to come up with an idea that cool.
If I were you I'd switch my online identity to "one".
Then you could talk like the Queen.
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