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How To Pick A Better Online Dating Username
What’s in a name? Apparently a lot when it comes to online dating. We all know that profile pictures are key components in the online dating game. What you say in your profile can also determine whether you get messages from the love of your life or the dude who just wants to bang in the basement of his childhood home. But photos and your “About Me” section shouldn’t be the only things to consider when you’re looking for love via the internet. A simple thing, such as your username, also plays great role in your online dating game. So what are some good online dating username tips to follow?
According to a study published in the journal Evidence Based Medicine, researchers from the Queen Mary University of London went through 4,000 studies and analyzed 86, to discover the most effective approaches in online dating. As researchers found, playful screen names such as “Fun2bwith” are universally attractive. While men were more attracted to screen names that indicated some sort of physical attractiveness (i.e. CuteBlonde123), women were more attracted to names that indicated intelligence (i.e. CulturedGuy456). The study also found that names with letters higher up in the alphabet were found to be measures of success, educational attainment, and income. As in, Amazing_Adam678.
As the study’s author, Khalid Khan, suggested in a press release, “People are also attracted to those similar to themselves. So before setting up your profile, look at the profiles of people you find attractive and choose a name with a likeness.”
In 2014, online dating site Zoosk, took their team of data scientists and analyzed more than 430,000 profiles on the site to determine the top 10 words that appear in members’ profile names. These were the top 10:
- Love
- Guy
- Girl
- Fun
- Looking
- Life
- Good
- Sweet
- Real
- Sexy
Your username is actually a lot more important than you might’ve initially thought. As experts from consumer research group, NextAdvisor, found, usernames may seem trivial or petty, but they are indeed the first thing other users see. It’s so true. Do I really want to be hitting up the cute, soon-to-be lawyer who proudly labels himself as “SxyFratBoy” or “Sit_On_My_Face69”? No, I don’t.
Because usernames are important, I spoke with Emily Bartz from NextAdvisor about how to ensure that you make the most out of yours. After all, first impression is everything.
1. Show, Don’t Tell
Telling people that you’re funny is so not the same as showing people that you’re actually funny. “Instead of opting for ‘funnyman89,’ choose a name that has a bit more creativity and wit involved — perhaps make a username that puts a comedic spin on one of your favorite hobbies or another personality trait,” Bartz tells Bustle.
2. Be Thoughtful
Many people don’t really take the time to think of good usernames because they tend to stick to variations of their real name. “Being safe online means employing a bit of purposeful anonymity,” Bartz says. While you definitely should be honest on your dating ventures, don’t feel the need to give it all away all at once. Just as you take the time out to pick the perfect profile pic or the right words to represent you, taking the time to think of the perfect username is also essential.
“Picking the right username is all about finding the right balance between fun, flirty and realistic. Adding words like ‘hottie’ or slang like ‘lil’ may turn fellow daters off and suggest to them that your intentions are not to find a serious relationship,” Bartz says. “However, adding a quirky adjective or a good pun may show wit and intelligence as well as a sense of humor and is more likely to attract the audience that you're hoping for.”
3. Be Real
With dating, whether it’s online or in real life, the number one rule to follow is to always be yourself. Don’t say you’re all about outdoorsy adventures when your idea of a good time is to Netflix and Chill.
“By staying humble and choosing a username that shows off exactly who you are, you can be sure that you're setting yourself up to find the perfect match,” Bartz says.
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Images: Stokpic/Pexels; Giphy(4)
