The Origin Story of jxpx777
What name do you use on the Internet?
jxpx777 Although I’ve started collecting jxpx1138’s as well thanks to @hotdogsladies. These either redirect (like jxpx1138.com) or are squatted for posterity.
Do you keep the same name everywhere?
Generally for personal stuff, yes. It’s pretty much always available. Squatters will be flogged with a wet noodle.
Where did it come from?
The punk band MxPx, which is an initialism of its own. In my high school and college years they were a really popular band with my crowd. I still listen to their stuff a lot. I tacked on 777 because jxpx was taken and I was pretty involved in the Christian scene back then. When I created it, it was kind of like a reaction to a lot of the 666’s that I saw around the web.
What does it mean to you?
These days, it’s pretty much an initialism and a reminder of that time in my life. I’ve changed quite a bit and think about spirituality and such quite different from then. If I were retconning, I’d say it had something to do with luck and slot machines probably.
Why did you choose it?
Because “jxpx” was already taken and changing my name so my initials were different didn’t really seem like an option.
Do you ever think of changing it?
Sometimes, but I never come up with anything really great and I’ve had this for so long that I stick with it. For better or worse, people recognize me this way.
Why do you / don’t you use your real name?
jxpx777 is shorter. :) I do attach my real name to my username and put it on my website, so it’s not hard to find. Internet anonymity is mostly a fool’s errand unless you’re Dr. Drang.
What was your first internet screen name?
My first email account on my first dial up internet service was [email protected] Camelot was the local dial-up ISP in my home town. The first one that might have had any sort of notoriety was Berko, my username on 43Folders.com’s forums back in the day. Merlin promoted a couple of my posts from the forums to the main feed, which was pretty much the greatest thing ever. “Berko” came from a friend I met on the Internet, on the Five Iron Frenzy vBulletin board. (This was back in the early 2000’s when this was pretty rare. Shout out, Tiffy!) She said I sounded like Berko from Empire Records the first time she ever heard my voice on the phone.
What is your favorite name you’ve seen in your travels across the net?
I don’t know that I have a favorite, but some people have really clever ones, especially on Twitter and Tumblr. I like a good pun or portmanteau name for sure. I also like @chockenberry because CHOCK it has taken on a life of its own even though it’s just a simple first-initial-plus-last-name thing.
Whose origin story would you like to hear next?
Twitter’s @laserlemon, @ploafmaster, @r00k or @wellbredgfruit
Now that people have heard your story, where can they go to find out more about you?
jxpx777.com or @jxpx777 on Twitter
