I googled my maiden name recently to alarming results.
There was an entry from a discontinued blog with a name referencing the college town near where I went to high school, so where many of my buddies matriculated; I could only read the snippet with my name in it from the search page, but, using my full name, the writer mentioned I had punched someone in the nose. WHAT?! I have no recollection of that. And I think I would.
Another site, I think it had something to do with MySpace, had some sort of thread in which I was mentioned and a poster whom I did recognize from high school (though she has a newer, sluttier look) made a rather nonspecific comment about never being able to forget my full name and “the incident with the garbage.” WTF?! I don’t remember anything about that, either, but it certainly sounds bad.
And why are these people even using my full name? Have they never heard of initials?
I also encountered some innocuous but embarrassing comments I stupidly made with my full name on forums on a) Oaxaca, Mexico and b) Kabbalah that are still hanging around on the internet eleven years later. Gah.
With my married name you mostly get Swedish ladies and multiple mentions of my one (1) publication, so that’s acceptable.
I know to be careful with what using my name on the internet (um, now), but evidently I have to worry about what other people might write, too. I may never tell anyone my full name again.
Anything juicy on the internet about you?
26 October 2009 at 10:00 am
I have a very very common name, so I think only one or two of the first-page Google results for my name is actually me. It’s problematic professionally, especially since the most common search results turn up a porn star (excuse me, “model/actress” with lots of nude photos) but good for hiding embarrassing things.
26 October 2009 at 10:02 am
Yeah, my maiden name was one-of-a-kind, which has its pros and cons.
26 October 2009 at 11:55 am
Nothing juicy about me. Actually, there is no mention of me at all. Although I was kind of shocked that other people have my maiden name. You don’t hear it too often.
26 October 2009 at 2:14 pm
I have a very common maiden name and married name. You would probably never be able to find me on Google. You could probably find me easily enough on Facebook, but only if you were looking for me.
I guess I have never done anything very noteworthy.
26 October 2009 at 3:17 pm
Not me. Relatively common British names so first zillion entries usually genealogy sites. Professionally my job means I’m pretty incognito on the web.
26 October 2009 at 4:11 pm
My maiden name was fairly unusual, but there is apparently a college softball whiz who shares it, so most search results are about her. My married name is also somewhat uncommon, although I know there are at least two other Melissa s out there. Most links are for boring things like LinkedIn or Facebook.
26 October 2009 at 8:12 pm
If you google me you get lots of juicy stuff — but it’s only because of the research I do, not because of me personally =)