A name by Any Other Synonym

A name by any other synonym is a login ID, a nomenclature, a screen name, a moniker, an alias, a tag, or a “hey you.” Names can be given with little thought or with much debate. Sometimes a name has a history. It is bad form to tax others with such histories; however, since some have expressed interest I will use it as an excuse to try you with my tale. (See the “Zucchini” blog if you must know who the guilty parties are.)

Articfrog:

A not so interesting history of a screen name

The Articfrog persona began in the early eighties. The Internet was just a gleam in the eye of the United States Department of Defense. It was a time when communication between computers was done by telephone line and modem. Instead of Blogs there were Bulletin Board Systems (BBS or Boards for short). “The Unknown” BBS was one of many boards in the Dallas Fort Worth area.

Members of “The Unknown” had screen names based on movies, hobbies, work, and games. My screen name was George Ungerbunger Artic Tree Frog. George Ungerbunger was an allusion to a cockpit scene from the movie “Airplane.” (It is a very lowbrow movie, but there are some great set ups for visual gags and verbal puns.) The Artic Tree Frog part was inspired by a post card of the mythical fur bearing trout of the Coeur D’Alene area of Idaho. Even though I doubt the veracity of fur bearing trout, I do believe in jack-a-lopes, the postcard gave me the idea for fur bearing frogs - tree frogs - fur bearing tree frogs in the arctic. Thus, George Ungerbunger Artic Tree Frog.

After several weeks on “The Unknown,” I was informed by one of the board’s grammarians that “Artic” should be spelled “Arctic.” When I shortened the name to Articfrog, I kept the incorrect spelling for sentimental reasons. It also reflects that much of my early schooling was in the fine arts. I only wish I had grabbed the .com for it before someone else did.

Articfrog
"And, they lived haply ever after."