Trail Names?

[Joshua Szulecki]

I'm just curious, how do you guys feel about trail names? I don't have a problem with people making and using them, but I prefer to talk to and reference people by their actual names, for a variety of reasons. Trail names kinda remind me of hobos.

[Cuffs]

I know 6 Jim's, 4 Rick's, 5 Dave's that are all backpackers... If it werent for their trail names, I'd spend more time than its worth detailing who they are.. Using their trail names identifies them in one (or 2) words....

[MississippiRob]

Hobo? I resemble that remark.

[Cuffs]

I agree with Rob... FYI, theres a secret society of hikers, affectionately known as Hobo's...

[Joshua Szulecki]

Actually, I suspect there probably IS a tie between trailnames and hobo names, since people didn't use to walk but for locomotion, and I imagine quite a few reformed hobos ended up in the hiking community. Until I have an actual origin for the use of trailnames, I'll use this one.

I think what bugs me about trail names is the disconnect from actual self that they represent. On one hand, I can understand why people might want a different "name" for their leisure activity, especially one so tied to an escape from normal society. On the other, it makes me uncomfortable that a certain level of anonymity exists because of trail names. But, I'll call somebody by a trail name if they want, but I need to know at least a first name before I'll hike with somebody.

Sometimes in my life I too have looked like a hobo.

[Graceless]

WEll now that is interesting,
 In my experience I find that few of my friends call me by my real name when we are camping or out in the open with other folks.Usually only the burb moms call me by name. Most of the time its an endearing call from another mom " Tabgyver come figure this out or fix this." Or Graceless watchit! your gonna ... well nevermind you need a hand? But in the house or one the phone my name is used unless someone needs something technical done then I get the Tabgyver bit  especially if they want it done for free:P

[Nalgene Ninja]

I for one like the small amount of anonymity I have on the trail. Seems like one of the places where you are only judged as-is at that moment. If you grew up in the small-town South, where you were known as So-and-So's Kid, its very refreshing.

[Rob]

I think that one of the attractions of having a trail name is to identify yourself as part of the hiking community as an avid hiker. Another part of it is that it DOES allow you to disconnect from the reality of who you are in a quirky kind of way, kinda like using the internet, you can be who or what you want..........Oo oooooooo, can I change my vote to kinda scary? 

[WolfVanZandt]

Considering that most of the people I camp with are from one fringe culture or another, it's not that surprising that we generally refer to each other by nicknames - most from having met on the Internet.

[PastorLarryT]

Trail names remind me of the CB "Handles" that were prevalent growing up... I guess I'm sort of ambivalent about them.  I don't use one - no one I regularly hike with uses one. 

I'm not one to spend time in the backcountry with someone I don't know.