Change my name?!

I just received a purple moosage directing me to change my screen name- which is quite silly as I used my actual name. There's no way to reply to the purple moosage, which I find to be a very inefficient and a bit presumptuous. So how do I contact the staff and get off the bad name black list?

I reported this post, so hopefully the powers that be will be able to take alook at your request.

I found a couple people with your name on Facebook. You have a pretty rad name.
https://www.facebook.com/public/Prairie-Wolfe

I've never met anyone named Prairie.  Send me a purple mooseage with a copy of your driver license or birth certificate, and I'll approve the name change...

I have to say that that is awfully short sighted. Just because you've never met anyone with that name doesn't make it fake. This big, wide world is full of names. I shouldn't have to find the technology (camera, scanner, etc.) to make that happen, and I don't feel comfortable sending you a copy of my driver's license or birth certificate. In addition the link that was provided in the purple moosage did not work. Please remove the block on my name.  

Make it a choice between the obvious; Smith!, or Jones!.
When the forum fills with the eternal feud, (obviating parents inane desire to be clever enroute! (damn Hippies!))  social justice will no doubt be bolstered and world peace eminent.

(The link to repair the name was broken on my Moosage too, a month ago.)

Moderation takes consensus, which takes time... I would immediately approve using an initial as your first name P. Wolfe.

I'm still confused as to why "prairie" is a problem name.

I am curious Joseph as to what was going through your mind when you asked to see a driver's licence. A little intrusive isn't it?

As to you never heard of anyone with that name so it must be false and changed: a little high handed don't you think?

There's moderator and then there's control freak.

I think the combination of prairie and wolf makes it sound like an internet moniker--like forest squirrel or green grass. Though, as my husband just reminded me, he's known a lot people that were named Sunshine, Prairie, Apple, etc. I think our default when  encountering a name like this, is to reject until we get some sort of proof that it's the person's name. We staff will discuss the name, and might end up being persuaded to approve a name if we're convinced. We're actually currently discussing the name.

We sure try not to be tyrants here!

Not sure, but unfortunately sometimes persons with nefarious interests do, in fact, change names or use pseudonyms.

The moderators may be trying to cut down on possible spam, etc. in advance.

Doesn’t matter what the name is, but I think one of the features of the community here is the use of real names.  😬

On the other hand, names can be coolish also.  One of my work mates was named Raindancer, so there ya go.

There's moderator and then there's control freak.  

Just to be clear, I think that by your standards, my level of moderation is WAY past "control freak".  Of course, by my standards, my level of moderation is "fucking awesome".   And the permies.com staff seems to be of a mindset similar to mine.

I have heard a rumor that this is not the only website on the all of the internet.   So I guess it makes sense that you have been to other websites and they have different policies.   And I suspect that you have thoughts like "some day I'm gonna have forums and I'm gonna manage them the GOOD way!"  More power to you.

I have over 30 years of experience in managing online communities.   And I have a way I like to do it.  Here's the thread about naming policy:

https://permies.com/t/12298/permies-real-sounding-policy

We sure try not to be tyrants here!

Except for me.  Very tyrannical.  


As for the name "prarie":  sometimes folks have actual, real names that tend to inspire creativity in others.   In those cases, we ask for some proof that it is their real name.  So, we will allow such a name if it is, indeed, their real and legal name.  


This site has a certain flavor to it.   I like to think of it as an artistic choice.  Some people groove on it, and others groove on another site.   I always thought this site would be a tiny site made of a few people that think this artistic choice is cool.  Mysteriously, this site has grown freaky massive.  

When we used to allow all sorts of crazy names, I got in the habit of skimming past everything those people had to say, since I found that my limited time was best spent conversing with those with a real identity. I think it was also a red flag for deletions and expenditure of moderator time.

Sometimes, I see that someone has posted for the first time. If the name seems unlikely, I'm more likely to keep an eye out, to see if they start spamming, or immediately questioning all the policies set up by the owner of the site.

Yours sincerely, Rainstorm Bumblebee.

This site has a "real sounding" name policy.  Some names, like mine, are real, but don't sound it.

Since my legal real name doesn't sound real enough to face book, I figure, I would just skip the hassle and use my initial here.  It doesn't seem to have diminished my enjoyment of this community.

yes, I got 2 messages asking me to change my name, which is not conventional, but also not 'fictitious', and I was going to abbreviate last name to initial so it's less attention getting, but the name change feature won't allow it, and I can't respond to the staff message that I got about changing my name.

Ceres Andromeda wrote:yes, I got 2 messages asking me to change my name, which is not conventional, but also not 'fictitious', and I was going to abbreviate last name to initial so it's less attention getting, but the name change feature won't allow it, and I can't respond to the staff message that I got about changing my name.

I'm not a moderator, but the policy is to have a real sounding name.  I don't personally know anyone with an initial for a last name, so to me, an initial wouldn't be a real sounding name.  Ceres Andromeda sounds very much like a fictitious name to me.  Just one lowly forum member's opinion.

Ceres Andromeda wrote:yes, I got 2 messages asking me to change my name, which is not conventional, but also not 'fictitious', and I was going to abbreviate last name to initial so it's less attention getting, but the name change feature won't allow it, and I can't respond to the staff message that I got about changing my name.

The name change option should have a link to this: https://permies.com/name.jsp
We also talk about edge cases here: https://permies.com/t/106355/real-sounding-edge-cases

A big part of the flavour of this community is the real-sounding name policy.  It's not perfect, but it's a very good indicator if the person is going to be a good match for this site.  You may notice my first name is a letter.  My real name is an edge case.  It's common where I live, but not (currently) a common name in the English-speaking world, so I compromise because I want to participate in this community.