Guide to choosing your Cosplay name

Whether you call it a handle, an alias or simply a cosplay name choosing one can be a strategic step towards a successful cosplay career. Even if you just cosplay for fun there are some compelling reasons why you may want to be known by a cosplay handle. In this post we’ll explore some important aspects to take into considerations as well as offer up some suggestions to help you choose your ideal cosplay name.

What’s In A Name?

So why use a cosplay name anyway? Well, there’s actually several good reasons, here’s just a few. First off, it’s useful for being found online and tagged on social media. Secondly, it offers a measure of privacy by keeping your real life separate from you cosplay life. Thirdly, it can help you better manage your online presence as a cosplayer by establishing your brand among an ever growing online cosplay community.

Define Your Goals.

In choosing a cosplay name for yourself it can be helpful to understand what your goals are as a cosplayer. Taking into consideration whether you want to cosplay casually, professionally or somewhere in between can have a significant impact on how you approach your decision. In fact, you may not even need a cosplay name if you’re happy to just go to cons all dressed up with your friends and only care to share your cosplay photos within your immediate social circle. If you’re all about casually cosplaying at cons then you can get by with or without a cosplay name. That being said, if you want more out of your cosplay experience, it may be worthwhile to contemplate on your overall cosplay goals when coming up with your cosplay name.

Handle vs. Real Name.

So, should you use a cosplay handle or your real name? Well, some of the worlds most famous cosplayers use their real names and by being highly skilled at their craft, have also experienced a tremendous amount of well deserved success. Their name has become their brand and that brand carries with it the stellar reputation they’ve built for themselves. It’s also worth noting that many of them also have professional pursuits that are complimentary to their cosplay careers such as modeling, acting, internet personalities, costumers etc… which only helps to enhance their brand as cosplayers. You’ll be in good company if you decide that using your real name is the way to go however it’s also important to consider the potential consequences. As mentioned above, a cosplay handle can help keep your cosplay life separate from your real life which, all things considered, may be a wise choice for some folks. Bare in mind that with your real name out there it’s much easier for people to find you in the real world. Conversely, your family, your friends or even potential employers may also stumble upon your cosplay posts and depending on what they find, that may or may not be a good thing for you. Now, for the most part, due to the rising popularity of cosplay, this may not be an issue but if, for instance, you happen to work in a more conservative industry where professionalism is expected of you online and in real life, then an original cosplay handle may help ensure your cosplay life doesn’t interfere with your every day life.

Hello, My Name Is.

So, you’ve decided that even though you love your real name, it’s just not the right fit for your cosplay persona – not a problem! Now it’s time to flex those creativity muscles and come up with a really super awesome name for your cosplay alter ego. But before we get too ahead of ourselves, let’s take a moment to consider the following questions when choosing a cosplay name:

Is it original?
With so many cosplayers these days it may be tricky to come up with a completely unique name, but not impossible. Once you’ve settled on a name be sure to thoroughly research online to ensure that no one else is using it and that it is truly an original. Punch that name into your favourite search engine and social media sites to see what comes up.

Is it easy to pronounce?
Using words that are uncommon or that are from another language may be tricky for some people to wrap their heads around upon hearing it for the first time. While it may be perfect in the sense of being original, you may find that you’ll have to repeat or explain your name more often than you might care to. That being said, it’s not uncommon for cosplayers to use odd sounding words for their cosplay handles and if that’s what feels right for you, then go for it!

Is it easy to spell?
The funny thing about words is that some of them can sound like they could be spelled in so many different ways. Keep that in mind when coming up with a name because this could be a recipe for epic levels of frustration to someone trying to look you up online.

Is there a double meaning to it?
Before you commit yourself to a cosplay handle be sure to research your name to ensure it doesn’t have an offensive or unflattering secondary meaning associated to it. Hop online and search up and down the internet to make sure you are aware of every possible meaning of the words in your cosplay name.

Does it resemble an already established cosplayers name?
If your cosplay handle in any way resembles an already established cospalyer’s name then don’t use it and come up with something else. Remember it’s important to choose a name that’s completely original to make it easier to distinguish your cosplay from another’s. Do yourself a favour and come up with something unique to best represent you.

Is there a trademark or copyright word in it?
When it comes to the issue of whether or not it’s okay to use a trademarked or copyright word in your cosplay name, the short answer is a resounding NO! Trademarks and copyrights are there to protect the intellectual property of their rightful owners and that’s not you. Doesn’t matter how much of a fan you are of a given franchise, infringing on intellectual property can lead to legal troubles and is best avoided especially if your cosplay goals include going pro and earning a financial income from your cosplay.

Do you love it?
Your cosplay name is what you will be known by throughout the internet and all over the world so hopefully whatever name you’ve chosen for yourself is a name that you love because chances are you’ll be living with it for a long time.

Now that you are equipped with the above list of guideline questions it’s time to brainstorm a cosplay name and as promised here’s a list of suggestions to help get you started:

Use a variation of your real name: You may already have a pretty cool real name that can be modified or combined with other words which could make for a pretty sweet cosplay handle.

Use a nickname: If your family and friends already have a nickname for you then you might consider using that or a variation of it as your cosplay handle.

Mix and match words: Have a pen and paper handy then write down a list of your favourite things. You could write down anything that inspires you, your favourite colours, aspects of your favourite fandoms, animals, mythical creatures, foods… literally just about anything. Once you have a good selection of words mix and match them together to see what you can come up with.

Coming up with a cosplay name is something many cosplayers will have to face sooner or later which is why I sincerely hope this post was helpful. In researching this topic I found that there’s no right or wrong way to choose a cosplay name and that ultimately what matters most is whatever name you choose feels right for you. Happy cosplaying everyone.