Picking a cosplay name can be so intimidating. There are so many fantastic names out there, it might seem hard to find one that fits you. Plus, with so many social media accounts, you don't want to take someone else's identity. It's hard to find something that captures your essence and your craft, the way you want it to. It's going to take time, but I know you can do it. I chose my name back in August of 2016. I was signing up for the cosplay contest at Fort Collins Comic Con and they asked what I should be called on stage. I had to think for a bit. I wasn't immersed in to the con scene, so I wasn't sure how to pick a name. I wanted to include my first name since I wanted to remember to respond. Having such a common name (who doesn't know at least five people named Ashley), I wasn't worried about random people being able to find me online. After thinking for a bit, I knew I wanted something with fire in my name. I thought of different words related to fire and settled on Sparks. I chose it because it paired well with my first name, and there was word play I could use. After 24 hours, I was finally able to submit my application. *Not that the application mattered, since the MC skipped over me and got in a verbal disagreement with the judges when they told him he skipped someone. ![]() The first decision you should make is if you want to use or include any other alias you go by. I know some cosplayers use gamer tags, pen names, or part of their names/nicknames. If you are planning to be multi-faceted (stream games on Twtich, cosplay, write, etc), you're going to want one consistent name to brand yourself with. If you want to keep these identities separate, I would not recommend using the exact same name. Secondly, decide on what you want your brand to be. I wish I had taken more time to stop and think about my cosplay name. Think about who you are as a person and as a cosplayer. What words would you use to describe yourself? Are there any characters you relate to, or cosplay a lot? What is something you're interested in outside of cosplay? Take some time to think about your answers to these questions and try out different names. Your first idea is probably not going to be your best, so don't feel bad if you don't like any of the names. Keep writing down different ideas and changing them until you find one that you think fits perfectly. Once you decided on a name (or narrowed down your options) you're going to want to make sure the name is not in use. There is no database of cosplay names (wouldn't that be cool), so you're going to have to do some digging. My recommendation is to search the name you want on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Even if the name is just taken on one site, I would not recommend using that name. Chances are that person has created that identity already, and you don't want to steal it from them. If your name is available, great! It's time to set up your accounts. I would recommend setting up at least a Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook so no one can take your handle. You probably won't use all accounts up front, but it's better to lock in all usernames now so they can all be consistent. Coming up with a cosplay name can seem tricky, but with some time and thought, you can create the perfect cosplay alias. Orginally posted on NerdFest
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Gamora: Get Geekish Blake: Yuki Cat Captures Nui: Ham Sandwich What's this?These post are different cosplay advice topics that I think people would find useful. Categories vary, so they can help beginners as well as veterans. Archives
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