How'd you get your trail name?

[barberino]

I'm just curious about the stories behind peoples trail names. What's yours? Did you pick it out or was it given to you, and why?

I don't have one, I've weekended on the A.T. before, going to do some long distance this summer.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Ours were self-assigned, but very appropriate. I am my grandson's homeschool "teacher" and breaks for goodies are nearest and dearest to his eleven-year-old heart. Everyone in our family laughed aloud at the announcement of Ed's name, as they've all heard his plaintif "Is it snacktime yet Grandma?". This is who we are.

[RedBeerd]

While hiking the LT everyone seemed to comment on the red in my beard. Redbeard was self given but seemed appropriate!

[wren again]

Started as "Forward" but that became a political motto, so I chose "Wren" because I enjoy their singing and protection of their young. The next year, I was asked who I was going to be, and I answered "Wren Again", and that is the name I have kept.

My hiking partner is "Shadow". She had a friend who wanted to hike with her, but passed away before it could happen. That friend is her shadow on the trail.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

Barberino, have you considered "anonymous"?

[Frank Patriot]

My trailname is "Puddin". I certainly didnt pick my own. I made some 'trail pudding' after dinner one night when I was backpacking in Sipsey with some buddies. It looked pretty gross, but I thought it tasted pretty good, so that's the name they picked for me.

[barberino]

No, I have not considered anonymous, I have a couple ideas for a trail name myself, barberino's a nick name given to me in boy scouts, i've learned to accept barby as a nickname, both are a play off my last name. Grandpa Barby by somefriends cause I hurt my hip snowboarding, and walked around with a limp, while gripin' about my hip haha.

I like the name Mateo best, I'm a Spanish minor, and love the name Mateo. While I love my real name, Matthew, I hate the name Matt (No offense to any Matts out there, there's a lot of family history to my preference). Takes me a while to persuade even close friends to use my full name sometimes. But, Mateo ties in with my Spanish interest, maintains a hint of my identity, and no one has shortened it when I've used it, so far.

So if I had to chose, I'll probably go with Mateo, but I'll be kinda curious if anyone comes up with anything more creative on the trail.

[BradMT]

In 1961 I was born and my mother and father gave me the name "Bradley"... it was later shortened to "Brad".

I think it's a good name and is fine on a trail too.

[GoldenBear]

I just chose it for myself, in honor of my college team.

[Hot Flash]

The first part of mine is because I'm always cold, the second part because I'm a little bit slow when I hike. It's all the more funny because most people assume I have it because I'm a middle-aged woman. :D

[Kookork]

I was searching for a trail name couple of days ago here in this forum and turned out that majority of members liked my Iranian Trail name Kookork which means " Mountain bird" in my original Dialect which is a branch of Persian. It was given to me after a long solo climbing In Iran 20 years ago. I went for a solo climbing for 3 weeks but I stayed for more than 3 months and came back when the mountains were covered in deep snow so they called me Mountain bird.

I am going to stick to my Iranian name next year.Somebody said it opens conversation which is not bad at all. I want to thru hike AT which is kind of social gathering which happens to be a 2180 miles long. maybe the longest social trail in the world.

[steve43]

I was given my trail name Fifo by my kayaking buddies in NC. It stands for F*@?ing idiot from Ohio. I'm sure they meant it in the nicest way.

[Different Socks]

Given to me by my GF one day on a hike in Whites about 2 years before I did the trail.

[wesleygalles]

I'm heading out on a SOBO in late June early July...I don't know if I'm gonna stick with my self assigned or pick up one on the way. If I stick with my own, my trail name is gonna be, "Tex"

[Datto]

My trailname was given to me by someone who'd seen me after I'd hiked the Knobstone Trail in Indiana during the nineties -- I'd had a 55 lb backpack and they'd initially asked me, "What happened to that toe?" when turned into "What happened to dat toe". Then the other person said I should take that as my trail name -- dat toe so I didn't forget what a fool I'd been for carrying a 55 lbs backpack on the most difficult Knobstone Trail.

Then Dan Quayle called me up to leave a message on my answering machine (he was from my neighborhood) to tell me I should drop the "e" at the end of my traiiname so people didn't think I'd mis-spelled my trailname. I'd taken the advice from Mr. Vice-President.


Datto

[Tree Nerd]

My trail name is Pig-Pen, as in the character from Charlie Brown.....it was a combination of given, chosen, and fitting. For several reasons, i don't shower/bath as much as most people and have a pretty good stench about me sometimes; generally I don't care.....No, I'm not the "stinky kid in class," I actually smell pretty good for how little I bath (several people say its an anomaly haha). My main reason for this behavior is that I see it wasteful to bath every day when I (and pretty much every other human) can easily go three or four days (normally), even a week or two (very rare occasions) before I "feel" dirty or start to have B.O......Im assuming its going to be worse during my thru, no different than anyone else, but the name fits me.

[SwissGuy]

I have a tattoo under my watchband that says NEMO in honor of Everett Ruess. So memo was natural I guess

[mrcoffeect]

I was given my name years ago because of the little percolator coffee pot I carry. at home I drink between 10 to 15 large dunkin donuts coffees a day.:banana

[poopsy]

Like KooKork I am having problems choosing a current trail name. I have had several over the years, mostly given to me in specific situations. I don't know which to pick right now. Here's the list:
Gunga Din - Given to me as I was walking through a swamp instead of walking around. As in "You're a better man than I am Gunga din`
Rocket Robinhood - Given to me by an irritated Boss who wanted me to blast off.
Nature Boy - Sarcastically by my older daughter as I dragged her on another trail.
Poopsy - Gleefully by my younger son after an unfortunate incident
Bubbles - A sarcastic six year old gave this to me as a comment on my weight. Unfortunately it stayed a long time.
Marche - Pronounced `marsh`. Given to me by myself while I was recovering from a major illness. From the French Foreign Legion`s motto `Marche ou Creve`

Comments or input would be appreciated

[msupple]

"Cat in the Hat".....given last year during my AT hike because I wore this hat. http://www.villagehatshop.com/kangol-bamboo-mowbray-pork-pie-hat-black.html?CAWELAID=944637996&cagpspn=pla&gclid=CN_PnsiPtrYCFe5AMgodKWsA4g

[redseal]

Check out my About Me section on the site below for my story!

[Sleeps_With_Skunks]

I got mine after the third incident in which a skunk tried to join me in the evening while hiking. Freaking critters even try to get up in the bunks with me in shelters.

[barf_jay]

To many beers and chicken wings in one sitting....

-Barfo

[Old Hiker]

Semi-self given with help from my Scouts from many years ago. I'm old(er). I hike. My Scouts thought it was appropriate. I was old to them at the time.

I like "FIFO" from above. Maybe FIFFL next time for me! I could get the Disney character doll to carry. Or learn to play the fife. Or start learning to play the fife at the shelters at night.