Using your name

[kristijoy]

I have a rather unique last name and if someone looked me up in a phone book I'm sure they would find right where I live. So...when I post pictures of my family online I never include my actual last name. Do you use your last name? I noticed most of the designers have full names. Do you use your real name? How do you feel about it?

[pewtertm]

I have a common last name, live in a large city, and have unlisted numbers...and I still don't like putting my last name on anything online.

[Jengerbread88]

I think I'm the exception. I have a very unique last name (Schoenberger) and I'm not super afraid of putting my information online. I keep my online profiles pretty secure, but honestly, I don't worry a ton about it. I have had a very heavy online presence since I was 16, and I'm 22 and so far, haven't had any troubles, save from some stalking by my ex husband, but heck, he knew my last name anyway I haven't had any strangers screw me over for it, and I'm pretty sure the type of sites I hang out at, it won't be an issue.

[rach3975]

I'm sure someone who really wanted to find me could, but I don't use my last name or mention local landmarks (schools, etc) by name. It's not so much my safety I'm concerned about as my kids', since it's their photos and stories I'm sharing.

[MommaTrish]

Except my Facebook (which is extremely private if not my friend) my last name is nowhere to be found. When I post anything of the kids that has their name on it I block it out. My last name is pretty common, but I don't want to take any chances.

:lol:
Oh and to take paranoia one step further, the email I use to sign up to almost anything on line is not my personal (like regular correspondences) email. That one has my last name and... what can I say I'm paranoid.

[rach3975]

Originally Posted by MommaTrish

Oh and to take paranoia one step further, the email I use to sign up to almost anything on line is not my personal (like regular correspondences) email. That one has my last name and... what can I say I'm paranoid.

I do the same thing. It's partly so the last name stays private and partly so all mailing lists and spam go to a different place than personal emails.

[emmasmommy]

i have such a common last name (as well as first name). i use it and i'm not very worried. if someone wants to steal something of mine that badly they're going to do it anyway.

[mummytothree]

I have a fairly uncommon last name and I try not to flaunt it to much, but I don't freak out if it's mentions (like here at SSD), but I try and keep my kid's names private: I never put them in my pages (in fact I put fake names and sometimes I use more then one fake name on the same page ) and I don't put my town name or specific places in my pages either.

I'm not too worried about someone online finding me or my kids and hurting them. I know that something like that is much more likely to happen in my "real life" and in my own town!!

[Happy Now]

Interesting thread! This is something I have wondered too, as I started posting my layouts online this year... If my journaling is too descriptive or personal, sometimes I hide it before posting (and then unhide, of course, when I send it to print). If the layout includes photos of non-family members (e.g. my son's basketball team), I will blur faces... You just never know (and you can never be too careful, I guess); I am subscribing to this thread to hear others' thoughts!

[ZaCola3]

When I first started in Digi-scrapping (or the net in general) I never used my real name...I was always ZaCola3...but as time has went by and I came to the same realization as Laura-if someone wants to find me-they can/will...I started using my given name...

[misfitinmn]

I don't post my last name a LOT, but I don't keep it a huge secret either. There are lots of ways that people could find me if they really wanted to. So I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. I just don't really bring it up unless it's necessary.

[g6scrapped]

My last name is pretty uncommon here and I don't flaunt it around a lot. I do use my real name though. I know that really people don't need my last name to find me, but my last name is nine miles long so I leave it off lol.

I have separate emails from scrapping, my card business, and personal emails. It is more to help me keep everything straight though.

[Valgal]

The only time I'm VERY careful about last names is when I'm posting anything about my kids, and I never mention their school.

The other times I stay vague is when we're on vacation. The last thing the Facebook world needs to know is when my house will be empty for a week, kwim? I also went backpacking with my sister and didn't say where we were going. Two girls alone in the woods? Uh... yeah, I'll keep that under wraps!

[Stacey42]

I don't use my real name, mostly out of a habit from back in the local BBS days when you could only have 8 characters for a user name & I was role playing on MUDs, so it was always a character name. It wasn't until I was trying to conceive & on pregnancy boards that it occured to me I could use Stacey.

But DH is paranoid about it so I take precautions. I never mention his name. Stacey isn't my full first name. My last name is common enough but not around here so I never use it. Even Facebook has my first & middle name but not my last, despite mostly having an "I know you well or you aren't my friend" rule for accepting friend requests. Most of my facebook friends know my real full name. I use nicknames for the boys, though somtimes you can see their real names in layouts. I don't mind that as much because it's still not searchable.

[kscwgirl]

Ehh. I don't freak out about it. If someone really wants to find me, they will.. plus.. there are two Sara Schiller's in Olathe.. so good luck. LOLOLOL

[[michele]]

I was a lot more careful until I realized that my dd's name ( and sometimes birthdate ) is all over the net for gymnastics.

I don't go out of my way to broadcast my full name (except when I need facebook friends! ) but I don't worry about it very much anymore.

[newfiemountiewife]

I don't go out of my way to avoid it, but I don't brag all over the place either. I mean, I am on the SSD staff page, and my full name is there...but I'm so PROUD, I don't care

If they want to find me, they probably could. I'm in a very small minority in terms of where I live in the country, so it wouldn't be difficult I don't think. I'd like to think my DH would protect me, since he's a cop LOL!

The other thing is, your name can be on the internet anywhere, I am in Google often for skating, and competitions or things that were in the newspaper about my girls. My daughter figure skates, and she too has her name on the internet that way as well.

I guess I don't worry too much.

[*Celeste*]

i have a common last name. the most common really there are at least 3 celestes with my last name in connecticut. so i don't worry too much.

[suze]

like Laura and Shannon,.... I feel the same. I have a super common name. where these days you can find anyone.. I don't feel sharing it on my pages is too big of a deal. they will find me if they want. I never share things like address, phone number, and stuff like that.

[nun69]

I am with Laura, Shannon and Susan...I figure if they want to find me, they will..plus I spent 20 years in the military and we go by last names So if you want to find A. Miller...go for it I already know there is another one that workd close buy because she waited on me!

[jessica31876]

My last name is not super common where I live but I do share my first and last name and my kids first names. They are all older and they know what to share and what not to. I dont give out addresses, phone numbers or town names. Just that I live in the Orlando area (which is generally a good majority of the county in which I live LOL). I dont think there is another Jessica Knorr anywhere near me but I suppose it is possible. Our number is unlisted as well to try to cut down on bill collectors (not for us but for other faMILY members and neighbors...they have in the past called us to tell us to tell so and so to call them!!) and phone solicitors.

As for journalling on layouts I only really hide that if it is really personal and meant for the person the layout was made for. TGhat is pretty rare though.

[Aimeemomof2+]

My name is so common that there were 2 of us with the exact same name (and middle initial) pregnant with the same OBGYN at the same time. We both gave birth on the very same day, same hospital, too.

I don't worry too much about online things, I worry more about strangers knocking at my door and things in real life.

[Paula]

I totally agree with the others who use their names. If someone wants to find me - they will.

[AmberK]

yep...this.

Originally Posted by Paula

I totally agree with the others who use their names. If someone wants to find me - they will.

[maaike3773]

I just googled myself! I found me on facebook and twitter but other than that...it is kind of funny, my last name by marriage is Amstelveen and that is also a town here in the Netherlands, so when I google myself, I see a LOT of Maaike's from Amstelveen!hahaha


I have had a few mix ups. Last year someone was supposed to deliver a prize my son won at 4 in the afternoon and we were waiting and waiting and finally the guy phoned and said he couldn't find our street in Amstelveen....uh, nope, that is because that is our last name, we don't live there!
(luckely for him it was not that far away so he could still come!!)

[kristijoy]

My husband is actually more present on the internet than I am. He works for a big hi-tech company and has a public presence with that company. He uses his last name. So if someone wanted to find him, it wouldn't be that hard. I feel OK using my first name and the first name of my kid, but I don't publish my last name. I'm not on CT's so I don't have to figure that one out (yet!)!

[ColleenSwerb]

My last name is not common at all, and really, neither is my first, lol. I just kind of don't care. I'm more worried about someone breaking into my home than stalking me on facebook or SSD/DST/MSA/etc, lol.
Unless you're my friend on facebook, I'm pretty difficult to find and you can't see much of anything. More to avoid people from high school than anything else though, lol.

[Giseli Freitas]

Originally Posted by emmasmommy

i have such a common last name (as well as first name). i use it and i'm not very worried. if someone wants to steal something of mine that badly they're going to do it anyway.

^^ what she said

[neenee]

I have a very uncommon first name and last name and when you put the two together you will DEFINITELY find me! That being said, I don't worry about it. I don't go around flaunting my last name but, if it comes up - I don't even think twice about sharing it. Maybe I should be more careful but, I'm not.

[neenee]

Ha ha...well ya know...I don't use my "real" first name a lot either. Duh.....

But, I don't try to hide it either.

[nonnie]

My maiden name is Golembiewski - but I was in the military and also think if someone wants to find me, they can - So not to woried about it - eventally you will find my first name Nonja on google after the world famous Orangutan
I swear I am named after!!!!! I think it also helps that I live on base most of the time and you have to show your id to armed guards to get to my house!

[littlekiwi]

Originally Posted by misfitinmn

I don't post my last name a LOT, but I don't keep it a huge secret either. There are lots of ways that people could find me if they really wanted to. So I guess I'm somewhere in the middle. I just don't really bring it up unless it's necessary.

thats me too - lets just say my last name is also the name of a fast food chain so it is pretty well known

[littlekiwi]

Originally Posted by suze

like Laura and Shannon,.... I feel the same. I have a super common name. where these days you can find anyone.. I don't feel sharing it on my pages is too big of a deal. they will find me if they want. I never share things like address, phone number, and stuff like that.

I agree - I share enough to tell the story but not much else

[Cath]

Thanks for the memory of old bbs's. I was private then as I am now. Guess parinoid too

Originally Posted by Stacey42

I don't use my real name, mostly out of a habit from back in the local BBS days when you could only have 8 characters for a user name & I was role playing on MUDs, so it was always a character name. It wasn't until I was trying to conceive & on pregnancy boards that it occured to me I could use Stacey.

But DH is paranoid about it so I take precautions. I never mention his name. Stacey isn't my full first name. My last name is common enough but not around here so I never use it. Even Facebook has my first & middle name but not my last, despite mostly having an "I know you well or you aren't my friend" rule for accepting friend requests. Most of my facebook friends know my real full name. I use nicknames for the boys, though somtimes you can see their real names in layouts. I don't mind that as much because it's still not searchable.