Do you use your real name?

Hello,

I performed a shop a few days ago and an sales associate asked for my name so she could hold an item for me. Even though I felt comfortable lying about my intentions being in the store, I paused when deciding whether to use my real name or an alias. I ended up giving her my real name at the time, but now I'm worried that might've made me more memorable.

Do you use your real name when interacting with associates/employees at shops?

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Short answer: Sometimes yes, sometimes no. It depends on the situation. If I think I'll be asked my name, I usually have one prepared in advance. If I am caught offguard, I'll often use my real first name and throw in a relative's last name because that is about the fastest way my mind can come up with one. The last thing I want to do is pause when asked for my name (the one thing I should know off by heart..lol)

I'm thinking that what seemed like a long pause to you might not even have been noticeable by the clerk so I wouldn't worry overly much about that having made you more memorable.

Indeed, sometimes yes and sometimes no. I can quickly pull up the names of grade school friends who have subsequently married so use their married names in their lives now. That also makes it a no-brainer that the name is age appropriate. Names such as Crystal and Tanya were just not names used when I was growing up. I grew up with lots of Lindas, Barbaras, Virginias, Charlenes, Betty Kay or Betty Sue or Mary Lou, etc.

I use the first name of an actress I really like. I use it in connection with the last name of her character on the show.

The sad part is, I have accidentally used it when I am not mystery shopping. I guess she is my alter ego now.

Sometime I may use my first name and maiden name from a thousand years ago.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain

Honestly I almost always use my real name unless for some reason I can't.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind

Yes, I use my real name.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

Alright, thanks for the insight guys

I spent this weekend coming up with an alias when I don't feel like using my real name. I guess for some shops, it's impossible not to use your real name.

On a side note - I never give my real phone numbers unless I want them to call me. For all others I have a free google voice phone number for all businesses that "require" it, such as on a internet form. I could have that number forwarded it to my cell phone or just send me an email when a message is left.

Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut

I have many MS names and a Google Voice phone number also. Some of the shops I perform, require a different name each time so I have created a spreadsheet to keep track. And since I use my main fake name most of the time, I have actually used it in real life social situations.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“I'm the one that's got to die when it's time for me to die, so let me live my life the way I want to.”
~ Jimi Hendrix

“The fear of death follows from the fear of life. A man who lives fully is prepared to die at any time.” ~ Mark Twain

“To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.” ~ J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

I never use my real name. When pressed, I use my first name (I go by my middle name), and my surname is my husband's name (I kept my maiden name). I've used that combination so often, that it easily rolls off my tongue.

I haven an alias and a fake phone number I used when needed. I use the area code of my home phone, since I mostly shop in that area code, but then give my cell phone number, which has a different area code (we moved). I have an email account set up under my alias and give that email address if necessary. Some shops require you to use your real name and contact info though. If I am just doing a retail shop and they want my name to put on the door of a dressing room or whatever I'll give my real name. If they want my contact info though and I don't really want them to follow up with me, I give my fake info.

I did 6 shops for the same company yesterday and they put your information into their system

. I used the names of a few friends, made up addresses as I went and used combinations of my home phone and cell phone number when needed. A couple of them I told them I was in the process of moving/building a house and was living in a hotel at the time--using an example of a real life friend that was doing that. I gave a fake email address instead.

For me, it would be too nerve-wracking to use a fake first name. I would be afraid of not responding to it! Ha!

In fact, sometimes on here, people address their post to 'Storm' or sometimes even 'StormCloud', and sometimes it takes me a beat or two to realize "Hey! That's me!" HAHA!!

(Only sometimes, though)

Although, there are a reasonable number of people who can't seem to pronounce my first name, anyway. Like some receptionists or nurses at the doctor's office. When no one responds, and they call it a 2nd or 3rd time, I'm like "Hey... maybe they're trying to say *my* name!"

It's really not *that* difficult, and it's *not* a created name, nor a traditional name with a weird spelling. It's a traditional name with a traditional spelling... that now days is usually spelled the way it sounds rather than the traditional way.

Practitioner of the Nerdly Arts.

I use my real name except when the shop guidelines clearly say to use a fake name.

If you want to do a bit of research, you will find an earlier issue of the MS Magazine with an article about systems for creating and remembering aliases. When/if you begin doing new home and/or assisted living shops, you will need a different name for each shop becasue there are a few clients that own or manage a lot of sites and link their data bases. For those you will need a system for inventing and managing personae and unique follow-up contact information.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I can give my real name or nick name with no worries about, but name doing nothing at all, but if they ask about phone..I provide them mine, but with 2 digits off

Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009

For shops that require you to report follow-up phone calls, you will need to develop some real phone numbers that you can actually monitor for voice mail. Since those are also the types of shops that tend to pay higher fees, you may want to think about stepping up your business model.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I try to always use my real first name - just so I respond in an appropriate way if they call my name... but I have quite a bit of fun using the names of past boyfriends and crushes from grade school on up until I got married. Shoot.... I spent a small amount of time with each one testing out their last name so it's just a little bit of make believe for me. Most shops where you have to do this are a performance anyway. :-) I'm doing one bank shop right now where they check their computer to make sure you aren't a previous customer..... Sometimes they find a name that matches in another state and I think - did he really marry another girl with my same first name? hahahahha.....

I did a credit union shop yesterday with the branch manager. Same first name even spelled the same unusual way (Cyndi). Our last names also both start with the same initial. This surprised me a bit and caused me to use my sister's name. But unless the guidelines require a fake name, I use mine.

fakenamegenerator dot com

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