The days of the early internet were an unserious time. And nothing encapsulates that more than everyone’s fun, quirky usernames. Sure, some were plain government names coupled with extra numbers—à la taylorswift13—but the rest? It was 2kool4skool, princessxyz, justinbieberbae, and more. The names were rife with nicknames, fanaticism, aspirations, and sheer creativity. It was when we could, given the chance, see in real time how people would identify themselves.
Simply put, it was anything but our real names. Even celebrities navigating this era skipped the clean PR handles for something fun. Beyonce was @BaddieBey. Billie Elish was @wherearetheavocados. Luke Hemmings used to be @luke_is_a_penguin. And who could forget Harry Styles, who, for a brief period of time, was @givememynameplease. The usernames were half the story; it was how we treated the internet and all its aspects. From one-liner emails to Instagram feeds being a snap of our coffee of the day, curation and consumption was casual, a spur-of-the-moment feeling.
But as the internet grew, both in population and in capital, that familiarity was traded in for branding. We first saw it in internet celebrities. OG YouTubers and influencers gave up their usernames for branding purposes, starting the mass switch. From thereon, individuals pining for internet success would do the same, skipping the quirky username step to allow their profile to be a personal brand. Now, as we know it, social media norms function under those very same rules. Unless private, public accounts follow clean-cut aesthetics and simplified usernames.
It’s not completely because of internet fame; the profiles chasing that are just a niche sector. The bigger factor for these unspoken rules is that the internet, which used to be a separate part of life, has now become an extension of our lives. It has become our de facto digital signature, which can affect our jobs, education, and interpersonal relationships. Our digital footprint comes as a footnote in our real life, and with this blurry line, quirky usernames that are part creativity, part vulnerability have no room.
It is an unfortunate evolution. While some celebrities like badgalriri (Rihanna) and champagnepapi (Drake) soldier on, those like kingkylie have reverted to kyliejenner. And while some internet celebrities like glamzilla keep the creative spark alive, the oddball username has become the exception rather than the norm. That being said, spur-of-the-moment curation still continues through apps like Snapchat and features like Instagram’s Instants. While they’re not as permanent as the early Internet once was, it comes as a brief respite from posturing as our digital selves evolve to feel more real.
