How To Come Up With A Profile Username That Commands Attention

5 Formulas To Come Up With Attention-Getting User Profile Names

You know that guy you think is really hot? Everybody else thinks so too. So how are you going to stand out? One way is to make your screen name reinforce the good impression your carefully selected photos have (hopefully) already made.

A generic name like “NYCNathan” is not as eye-catching as something more specific, like “NathanLovesDancing.” But don’t get too specific, because “NathanLovesDancingNaked” might give people the wrong impression.

Here’s a quick tip: Believe what people say about themselves. If his screen name is “PartyBoy” he means it. If you’re a shy and bookish guy, it ain’t gonna work.

Here are some guidelines for creating a username that makes other guys want to click on you:

Make ‘Em Smile!

Make him laugh and you’re halfway up his leg. If you don’t believe that a clever handle is associated with high response rates, do a test: Read a bunch of profiles and pay attention to which names stand out or intrigue you. In almost all cases, they’re the ones that impressed you with cleverness or word play.

Avoid Using Numbers in Your Username

It makes your name harder to remember and your image more ambiguous. You want something sharp and vivid. Putting the year of your birthdate might be easy but it won’t advance your cause any.

Be Consistent.

If you’re looking for love and your photos show yourself at your warmest best, why ruin it with a username that contradicts your intentions? The LTR guys are going to skip right past you if you call yourself “sexyguy4u2nite,” or worse, “ONE800SKETCHY.”

Do not create a name that contradicts your intentions!

Be Approachable.

Pick a username that shows some personality, but that can’t be misinterpreted as negative or sleazy (unless that’s what you’re looking for, of course).

Okay, so now you know the general guidelines. Let’s talk about details and the one question that’s probably on the front of your mind: What’s the formula for creating clever usernames?

FORMULA #1: USE CLICHES TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING ORIGINAL

1. Take a word that describes something you like.

2. Type the word (or a derivation of it) in a cliche-generating website like West Egg.

3. Mix and match the words together to come up with a phrase.

Let’s say you’re into old sports cars, especially the Alfa Romeo. Take the word Alfa (or in this case a derivation of it—Alpha) and plug it into one of the cliché sites above.

The phrase “alpha male” comes up. Play with it for a bit and you come up with a terrific screen name: Alfamale. How cool is that?

FORMULA #2: INCORPORATE DIFFERENT COMBINATIONS OF YOUR ATTRIBUTES

Try combinations that incorporate your first name, your job, one of your better attributes, or a hobby—names like:

TallTexan

SDSoundboy

DrGym

TalkativeRick

SweetDimplesBoy

ShakespeareInLove

FORMULA #3: USE THE NAME OF A CHARACTER FROM A TELEVISION SHOW, COMIC BOOK OR MOVIE.

A couple of qualifiers on this one. Don’t use something cheesy like JamesBond007. Be more original.

FORMULA #4: USE AN ONLINE THESAURUS TO COME UP WITH UNIQUE ADJECTIVES.

Look up little-used adjectives that describe who you are and use them in your handle. Let’s say you consider yourself a homebody. HOMEBODY4U doesn’t sound very appealing, does it? But plug it into www.thesaurus.com and www.dictionary.com and you see the words “home centered” and “hearth.” You could put together a combination of these and come up with something appealing like: “home&hearthSteven.”

Or plug the word “hearth” into a rhyming dictionary. You’ll see the rhyme, “Darth”. Do a little mixing and matching and you come up with something like, “HearthVader.”

The possibilities are endless. Get crackin’!

FORMULA #5: NAME YOURSELF AFTER SOMETHING YOU FEEL PASSIONATE ABOUT.

if you play the guitar, try naming yourself something along the lines of GUITARHERO. If you love to paint, something like SEXYPICASSO. The point is to reveal something about yourself so the person reading it gets an automatic insight to you.

Word: You can use words like “hot” or “sexy” in your handle but keep your eye on context. SEXYPICASSO is very different than SEXYWHORE. The latter might be more accurate but the former will get you the hits!

SUMMARY

Make ‘em smile. Pick a witty username. Make him laugh and you’re halfway up his leg.
Avoid using numbers in your name. It’s ambiguous, hard to remember and says nothing about you.
Be consistent. Don’t use FUKNHOTBLONDE if you’re looking for love. Or COUCHPOTATO4U if you’re a hardcore partier.
Formula #1: Use sites like www.clichesite.com to form the basis of an original idea.
Formula #2: Incorporate different combinations of your attributes.
Formula #3: Use the name of a character on TV, a book or a movie.
Formula #4: Use an online thesaurus to come up with unique adjectives.
Formula #5: Name yourself after something you feel passionate about.