Many online personalities, especially those from Twitch and YouTube, prefer to be referred to by their online username. Whether it’s ex-Mixer turned-YouTuber Tyler “Ninja” Blevins or Felix “Pewdiepie” Kjellberg, many big names in online gaming communities are simply more well-known by their chosen usernames over their real ones.
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The same goes for Twitch streamer Pokimane, who especially hates when fans to refer to her by her real name and prefers to be called Pokimane or even simply Poki. OfflineTV and Imane “Pokimane” Anys recently were joined by Ryan “Nigahiga” Higa, one YouTube star who made videos back when the site was just starting up, for their newest podcast episode. After coming up on the topic of nicknames, the group explains that even online personalities call one another by their usernames, and typically only reserve their real names for old friends and family prior to making it big on YouTube or Twitch.
Poki explains that she finds being called by her real name “invasive” because her viewers “don’t know [her] like that.” She goes on to explain the difference between being referred to as Imane vs Pokimane by describing her relationship with an online therapist. “Oh if we’re gonna be personal and you’re a therapist more or less, you can call me Imane. You’re speaking to me.” After saying this, some fans took this as an invitation to use Pokimane’s given birth name to be on a personal level with her. She finds fans using her first name to speak to her is a level of comfort that she doesn’t mutually share.
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“It depends on the context,” Pokimane explains after using the comparison that she wouldn’t want a date to refer to her as “Poki” and would rather that situation be reserved for “Imane.” Higa, who often goes by his first name Ryan in contrast to the others appearing in the podcast, notes that Pokimane’s first name is more unique, making it extra strange when fans use it.
Twitch has had an undeniably rapid year, from the US Army being slammed as “unconstitutional” for banning users to the mysterious Dr Disrespect’s ban. The year is only half over, and it certainly doesn’t seem like the slew of drama will be over anytime soon.
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