Your name is the key to your identity and reputation. To most of us it is truly our most personal asset. Your name, including your associated persona is very valuable. Ask Tiger Woods. (Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, who changed his name legally to Tiger Woods). On the internet your name is exposed for the world to see, friend, poke, index, correlate, track and spam.

The next time someone asks your name … feel free to reply “Which one?” and ponder “Why do they need to know?” …

Back to the "Which one?" question ... anthroponym or pseudonym?

An Anthroponym is the name of a human being.

A Pseudonym, also known as an alias, is used by an individual as an alternative to a person's legal name. In most legal systems, a name assumed for a non-fraudulent purpose is a legal name and usable as the person’s true name

Enough *nyms? Read on.

Anthroponymy (or Anthroponomastics) is a branch of Onomastics (the study of proper names and the origin of the names). Another branch is Toponymy (or Toponymastics) – the study of place names.

Anthropnymy includes:

• Given names (including first name, Christian name, forename)

• Surnames

• Clan names

• Matronyms - is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's mother

• Patronyms - is a component of a personal name based on the name of one's father

• Teknonyms - a name derived from a child's name that is used to address or refer to a parent

• Nicknames

• Ethnonyms – consist of two types … exonyms (where the name of the ethnic group has been created by another group of people) and autonyms (where the name is created and used by the ethnic group itself)

There is also an American Name Society dedicated to “what is really in a name”:

“The American Name Society was founded in 1951 to promote onomastics, the study of names and naming practices, both in the United States and abroad. It is a non-profit organization that seeks to find out what really is in a name, and to investigate cultural insights, settlement history, and linguistic characteristics revealed in names.”

There is a lot in a name. A name can also be the key to participation and privacy on the Internet.

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