Picking a Not-So-Plain-Jane Derby Name

One of the most unique and most noticed things about roller derby is the “roller derby name.” People who play roller derby are usually normal, average working people by day. And a lot of times, these people are more than just normal. The are in fact spectacular! They aren't just alternative people with tattoos and part-time jobs, but they are lawyers, they are teachers, they are professionals (even rocket scientists, I've met one).Yet, by night, they can take on a new persona that makes them feel fierce and free and empowered.

When rookies start to think of a new name for themselves, they usually make names that are plays on words or other names of famous people. Many of the names are a little violent or sexual, yet not all are. Now that derby is becoming such serious, athletic sport that may be in the Olympics  people are thinking more about their names. Some people even skate by their real names, like the entire Magic City Misfits men's team played this year at MRDA championships, and while I know they have derby names, they all skated under their real name. I think different occasions call for things, and I thought it was really classy. There is a fine line between keeping the camaraderie in our sport, and then trying to look professional so we can finally be taken seriously. I love hearing raunchy names (including one of my derby sisters, Molotov Coqtiz from Cape Girardeu, and Deep In Cider from Mass Melstrom). Still though, you need to decide what derby means to you. I know people who are teachers who would hate to have their kids come see them with the persona "Pussy4Life" (obviously i just made that one up.)

Many of the women on my league try to make a name from their favorite person or movie character. Its best read whenever you have a name that is recognizeable, because when you are somewhere and you have a name that has to be "decoded" it kind of takes the fun out of it.


Honestly, one thing I wish I would have done wheneven I picked my derby name was come up with a nick name too. No one ever calls me by my derby name, mostly because within our league we generally call eachother by our real names. BUT when I go places, people call me different things, but mostly they just say "Tupac". THAT IS A BIG NAME TO LIVE UP TO OKAY. I wish I had a cute short name so that everyone could easily call me it and I could save major $ in printing! So keep in mind what you will want to be called, and if you can handle being called that for a very long time.

Nearly the only photo of the entire league! Last game of the 2011 Season. Photo by David Strong

I think SRG has a great mix of names within our league, and these names have specific categories that may possibly help you broaden your specs to what could become your new persona!

Politicians/Government Figures:
Sandra Day O’Slaughter (Sandra Day O’Connor)
 J.F. Slay (J.F.K.)

Common Phrases:
Thugz & Kissez (Hugs and Kisses)
Jean with Envy (Green with Envy)
Seven Deadly Shins (Seven Deadly Sins)

Famous Characters/Movie References:
Bellatrix LePain (Bellatrix LeStrange form Harry Potter)
MissChetty Boop (Betty Boop)
T-Vira (T Virus from Resident Evil)
Kung-Fu Gripka (GI Joes Kung Fu Grip

Gangster:
Elle Capone (Al Capone)

Drinks!:
Milla Tyme (Miller Time!)
Amber Lager
D'Rink Sling'Her (She's started her own league now, but I still love that name!)

Pop Culture:
Brawl Things Considered (NPR's All things considered)
Tiger Beatdown (TigerBeat! Magazine)

Pretty gnarly elements/nouns
Khoas
Tandemic
Kastastroffie
T-Ann-T

OR even just sweet names that sound completely bad ass :
Psycho Suzie
Flat Nasty
Amtastic



Although there are thousands of roller derby players in the world, each name has to be (or at least should have the courtesy of being) unique. When turning in your name into your league, you must get your name accepted. By looking at the website http://www.twoevils.org/rollergirls/ you can enter the name you are thinking about, and see if there are any names similar to that name, ranking names from high to very low similarity. If a name has multiple high similarity names, then it is most likely not going to get accepted. There are more rules on this website http://www.twoevils.org/rollergirls/rules.html about what is acceptable, and not, for your name.

The demise of my sweet blood number due to confusion and misprint. & yes I'm bad and going to the box. Photo by David Strong

You also need to think about numbers when going into this. It can be up to 4 numbers, but don't let that stop you from becoming creative. You can have characters that associate with it, but they just won't be apart of your "official" number. But, leave in mind that it can also be odd. One of my personal things was I thought it would be BALLER to be 8100D to look like blood. But since I wasn't all the way educated, now its just become to 8100 because the d would have to be only 2 inches high on my jersey. Going back to it, I wish i was b100d instead. You live, and you learn.

When starting, I had a very large list of names that I wanted to try. It was devastating when I would fall in love with a name and then see that it was already taken. Here are some of the names that I came up with that were still available when I was looking to bank a name, but didn’t make the cut (for me personally, but if you like them, feel free to take!).

FREEBIES
Brawly Go Fightly (Holly Go Lightly)
Audacity HipBurn (Audrey Hepburn)
Charlotte Manson (Charles Manson)
Vincetta Van Gore (Vincent VanGoh)
Whippy Scouldburg (Whoopy Goldburg)
Blood Die-mond (Blood Diamond)
Golden Snitch Seeker, or just snitch seeker. Its a harry potter one, but when I thought about this one I automatically wanted someone to have it.

My Thug Life Lip tattoo. And yes, it is still there and not blown out! 

Finally, I picked one that was close to my heart : Tupac Shank-Her. When I was a freshman in college, I got a "Thug Life" tattoo. So when it came to picking my name, I thought that this would be fun to relate to, and I could have an extra gangster edge when i want to get especially in a moment.

Overall, you want to think hard about your name. Once starting the life of roller derby, you will likely be in it for a long time. You don’t want to be known by a name that you don’t like, so put some effort in it. In the end, you will love and become your new roller derby name.