Why did you choose your O.C Net name?

[Orthodox Bagpiper]

I was just curious why some of you chose your alias/O.C net name. Judging by most of your posts, there was some thought put into the decision of picking your name (except for Nacho  ). I was curious to hear what your stories are.

I chose Orthodox Bagpiper because I am of Scots/Irish decent (not to mention German, British, French, American Indian and a wee bit of Russian). I have more Irish than anything in me (although I probably look more German). Anyway, I have always been in love with the Celtic culture. I have my own kilt with my families tartan and I play the bagpipes (even though I have gotten rusty since moving to Missouri).

Back in the Charismatic Episcopal church I used to wear my kilt and lead a bagpipe processional of the congregation into the church. It was a lot of fun. No more bagpipes in the Orthodox church (although we do use the Ison; that's close enough of a drone for me!)

I'm still waiting to see an icon of St. Patrick on an Iconastasis. Mabey one day when America becomes more Orthodox!

 

[Bobby]

Because I'm unoriginal and couldn't think of something witty.

 

[Fr. George]

... because:

(a) Identifying where I'm from may help with interaction (i.e. understanding the environment I live in, my presuppositions, etc.).
(b) I like my city, where I've spent the last 25 years.
(c) It is a great place to encounter Orthodoxy (we've got over 20 Orthodox parishes within 30 minutes of public square downtown).

 

[Heorhij]

Because Heorhij is my real name (even though I go by George in the US), and I just did not feel any particular need in choosing an alias.

 

[ozgeorge]

Here is my sad tale from an earlier thread:

When I joined the forum I simply assumed the name "George" (my chistian name) was already taken, so rather than go through the trauma of a screen popping up at registration saying "sorry, that username is already taken", I added "oz" to it, Australian slang for "Australian"....then I found out that "george" had in fact, not been taken and became depressed about this for some time, never going out, refusing visitors and subsisting on a steady diet of only coffee and cigarettes. I'm over it now.....I think.......<sniff>.

 

[Rastaman]

After I converted, I changed my user name to Postolowka, which is the name of the village of my Ukrainian ancestors (who were incidentally eastern catholic until they immigrated to Canada).

One of the esteemed administrators had problems typing it out and suggested I change it to this.

The Yellow and Blue is a Ride or Die Organization!

In Christ
Ivan

 

[Schultz]

One of my nicknames is Stilts, as I'm 6'5" and used to be skinny as rail (I'm still that tall, just not so skinny anymore).

When my old band was recording our first album, the producer kept forgetting to call me Stilts (as everyone at the time did) and kept calling me "Schultz".  It stuck and I like the sound of it (or look of it, as it were) for online use.

 

[Aristocles]

Αριστοκλής- a throwback to my days as a double major in philosophy and classical languages - is the real name of Πλατον - Plato. Only later did I learn of St. Aristokles the Elder of Cyprus.

 

[observer]

I observe.

 

[DerekMK]

Nektarios is my baptismal name. 

The Greek script is because I was received into the Church under the jurisdiction of the Ecumenical Patriarchate - so I have a soft spot for the Greek Church. 

The avatar choice:  the prodigal son is a Biblical story that has always had much meaning to me, and seeing this painting in person in St. Petersburg's Hermitage Museum was amazing. 

 

[admiralnick]

It started out as a joke with a couple of friends when playing StarCraft back in the day (mind you I was the silly child who bought a video game at 50 bucks the day it came out instead of waiting a week when it dropped to 35....). I used to play terran all the time and a fleet of battleships was always my preferred method of attack, so I got the nickname admiral, and I've used it since. Nick is obviously short for Nicholas which is my birthname.

-nick

 

[James]

Polski form James...used everywhere that has good conversation and brew...

or just brew...or good food & brew

 

[chris]

When I first registered with OC.net, the voices in my head were silent, so I just used my given name of 'chris'.

Then, when some sort of clerical error combined with a lack of priests in the Greek Archdiocese resulted in me being ordained to the priesthood, eventually enough people suggested I change my name to what it is now so that I just went along with it to avoid confusion.

 

[Cephas]

+ Irini nem ehmot,

Mine is just my name in Syriac.  Why Syriac you might ask?  Well, why not.  Greek was far to common for forums and I like the uniqueness of it.  As for my avatar, St. Paul the first Anchorite is my intercessor, and I have a deep rooted love and respect for him.

 

[Thomas]

Thomas is the name I was given at birth, at Baptism, and when I became Orthodox, I figured why change something that worked.

Thomas

 

[Ian Lazarus]

Because Mexikilla didn't seem appropriate. ;D

 

[Ian Lazarus]

Because Oderous Urungus was taken.

 

[greekischristian]

After a cursory overview of the forum before registering i thought that the name 'greekischristian' might offend a few people, so I gave it a shot. Lo and behold, it worked...doesn't seem to have the same impact any more, but it's a better screen name than many, perhaps it will offend some newcomers from time to time.

 

[ytterbiumanalyst]

I detest having numbers after my name, so I decided to create a username that could be used absolutely anywhere, from the most obscure site to something like Yahoo! that has millions of subscribers. It's worked. Unfortunately, it has the drawback of also being hard to spell....

 

[Simayan]

Back when I was 12, I played a game called Dynasty Warriors, which was a game based on the Three Kingdoms era in China. Sima Yan was the emperor who united the three kingdoms into one, and it's stuck for 5 and a half years now.

So, most people think I'm Asian, even though my entire family is confined to the British Isles. 

 

[Jibrail Almuhajir]

My baptismal name comes from St. Gabriel the ArchAngel.  Having a deep affinity for the Middle East and Arabic culture, I decided to go with the Arabic word for refugee/immigrant/emigrant- Muhajir.  Thus, the Arabic rendition of Gabriel the Refugee becomes Jibra'il Al-Muhajir.  I see this choice as a mystical/esoteric meaning of someone who lives in this world but called to be not of it; a pilgrim trying to get back to my true home.
I suppose the main reason I chose this name though, is because ethnically I'm Scots/Irish and fiercely proud of my ancestry.  I love all things Irish (our ancestral home is County Donegal) and am learning to play the Feadog, the Irish tinwhistle.  But this can sometimes present a problem (for me) in the form of focusing too much on my ethnic heritage.  So, rather than choosing an Irish name (sometimes I wish I had anyway), I chose something completely different to help keep me focused.
Yeah, sometimes I put waaay too much thought into things. :  
 

 

[Mo the Ethio]

My Patron Saint.  Moses the Ethiopian.

 

[EofK]

Mine is short for Empress of Kanadia.  Comes from an unfinished set of short stories I wrote to entertain myself and to avoid studying in college.

 

[Carpatho Russian]

Carpatho Russian (Carpatho Rusyn was already taken) is my ethnic background - 100%.
"Ja Rusyn byl, jesm', y budu!"

 

[prodromas]

Greek for the Forerunner (St. John)

 

[sasquatch]

The name I took, when joining the church (also my middle name) & the year I joined the church.

 

[PeterTheAleut]

from http://oca.org/FS.NA-Saint.asp?SID=4&Saint=Peter


Commemorated on September 24

Saint Peter the Aleut is mentioned in the Life of St Herman of Alaska (December 13). Simeon Yanovsky (who ended his life as the schemamonk Sergius in the St Tikhon of Kaluga Monastery), has left the following account:

"On another occasion I was relating to him how the Spanish in California had imprisoned fourteen Aleuts, and how the Jesuits (actually Franciscans) were forcing all of them to accept the Catholic Faith. But the Aleuts would not agree under any circumstances, saying, 'We are Christians.' The Jesuits argued, 'That's not true, you are heretics and schismatics. If you do not agree to accept our faith then we will torture all of you to death.' Then the Aleuts were placed in prisons two to a cell. That evening, the Jesuits came to the prison with lanterns and lighted candles. Again they tried to persuade two Aleuts in the cell to accept the Catholic Faith. 'We are Christians,' the Aleuts replied, 'and we will not change our Faith.' Then the Jesuits began to torture them, at first the one while his companion was a witness. They cut off one of the joints of his feet, and then the other joint. Then they cut the first joint on the fingers of his hands, and then the other joint. Then they cut off his feet, and his hands. The blood flowed, but the martyr endured all and firmly repeated one thing: "I am a Christian.' He died in such suffering, due to a loss of blood. The Jesuit also promised to torture his comrade to death the next day.

But that night an order was received from Monterey stating that the imprisoned Aleuts were to be released immediately, and sent there under escort. Therefore, in the morning all were sent to Monterey with the exception of the dead Aleut. This was related to me by a witness, the same Aleut who had escaped torture, and who was the friend of the martyred Aleut. I reported this incident to the authorities in St Petersburg. When I finished my story, Father Herman asked, 'What was the name of the martyred Aleut?' I answered, 'Peter. I do not remember his family name.' The Elder stood reverently before an icon, made the Sign of the Cross and said, "Holy New Martyr Peter, pray to God for usl"

We know very little about St Peter, except that he was from Kodiak, and was arrested and put to death by the Spaniards in California because he refused to convert to Catholicism. The circumstances of his martyrdom recall the torture of St James the Persian (November 27).

Both in his sufferings and in his steadfast confession of the Faith, St Peter is the equal of the martyrs of old, and also of the New Martyrs who have shone forth in more recent times. Now he rejoices with them in the heavenly Kingdom, glorifying God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, throughout all ages.


My godfather gave me this name with my priest's approval, and since the name is very different from my birth name and would protect my identity much more effectively--I have a very unusual birth name that would give me away quite easily--I figured I would use my Christian name on this Orthodox forum.

 

[Sloga]

Sloga means unity, something the Church lacks.

 

[calligraphqueen]

well mine is obvious and not the slightest bit Orthodox. Though I have a new addition to my calligraphy in quotes of the saints. Should keep me busy for a while.  My nickname is wonder woman, which wasn't the least bit Orthodox-people assume I am wonder woman because of my status as a mom of many. An assumption that could not be further from the truth. The truth is far less flattering.   I didn't want to be identified only by Heather's Rett, though I am in some autistic spectrum arena's. So I stuck with that I do and have done for so many years.
Far more boring than most of you guys. ..

 

[Ebor]

My name is meant to be a clue that I'm Anglican.  "Ebor" is the abbreviation of "Eboracum" the old latin name for York in England.  It is one of the 2 seats of an archbishop with Canterbury ("Cantuar") being the senior.  But just to be Very Clear I am not 1) in England and 2) a bishop or any other cleric.

The abbreviation is used, by the way when Anglican bishops sign official documents with their first name and their diocese.  So one might see such things as "+Rowan Cantuar"  or "+Thomas Dunelm" (N.T. Wright, the Bishop of Durham) or "+Sentamu Ebor" for the present bishop of York, John Setamu.  I've read that he uses "Sentamu" rather then John because he is from Uganda and doesn't have a family name.  Sentamu is one of his given names.  Sometimes latin names don't exist which is why when he held the see in South Africa retired Archbishop Tutu was "+Desmond Capetown"

Ebor

 

[Demetrios G.]

After a cursory overview of the forum before registering i thought that the name 'greekischristian' might offend a few people, so I gave it a shot. Lo and behold, it worked...doesn't seem to have the same impact any more, but it's a better screen name than many, perhaps it will offend some newcomers from time to time.

I don't get it. I'm a Greek christian as well.  ;D OK OK I'm a Christian just like the rest of you. AHHH!  That was just as difficult as confession.

I was baptized with my Grandfathers name who was also Demetrios. As is Greek custom.

 

[Nyssa The Hobbit]

Nyssa: Named after Nyssa of Traken from Dr. Who (see my avatar).  Now extends to include St. Gregory of Nyssa.

Hobbit: I dropped "Of Traken" 12 years ago and was just "Nyssa" on BBS's for a while.  Then I took on "The Hobbit" after watching the first Lord of the Rings movie in 2001 and reading the books in 2002.  I identified with the hobbit culture. 

 

[Jibrail Almuhajir]

--I have a very unusual birth name

Snuffelapagus?

 

[Veniamin]

Mine's simple.  My patron saint is St. Veniamin of Petrograd.  My given name is Benjamin, which in Russian, my ancestral tongue...is Veniamin.

 

[ComingHome]

I suppose everyone will already know why I chose mine but here goes:

I am on my way home to Orthodoxy.  By the grace of God, one day I shall arrive and then I will continue my journey.

 

[PeterTheAleut]

Snuffelapagus?

Not THAT unusual... LOL!

 

[PeterTheAleut]

Nyssa: Named after Nyssa of Traken from Dr. Who (see my avatar).

Nyssa, whose father was murdered and his body taken over by the Doctor's archenemy, the Master.  Afterward, Nyssa joined the Doctor on his travels through space and time for a while; she even helped him regenerate at the end of his fourth life.  Yeah, I'm a Doctor Who nut, too.  I'm so happy the BBC started producing new episodes just recently after a 16-year hiatus.

 

[Nyssa The Hobbit]

I just wish they'd show the old episodes as well.  All my Web sources to watch them keep getting shut down. 

 

[Asteriktos]

I observe.

I observe observers.

 

[Rastaman]

After I converted, I changed my user name to Postolowka, which is the name of the village of my Ukrainian ancestors (who were incidentally eastern catholic until they immigrated to Canada).

One of the esteemed administrators had problems typing it out and suggested I change it to this.

The Yellow and Blue is a Ride or Die Organization!

In Christ
Ivan

I can't believe I have been known as John of the North for this long! I don't believe it!