What do you go by?
phrase

- the name you are most commonly called

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PHRASE ORIGIN

In older English, "go by" was often used to denote reputation, or being known by a certain description. For example, someone might be described as "going by" a certain title or reputation. This usage eventually narrowed down to names and personal identifiers. For example, Oliver Cromwell went by the title "Lord Protector of England".

The phrase is especially useful in multi-cultural settings where individuals might have names that are difficult to pronounce or have multiple names.

As we now give importance to individual identity and personal preference, asking "What do you go by?" respects personal choice and acknowledges that a person might have a preferred name different from their legal or given name.

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“I GO BY PICASSO!”

Most people know a certain influential surrealist/cubist painter as “Pablo Picasso” or even just “Picasso”. But the artist, who was born in Andalusia, actually had around 15 names, inspired by saints and members of his family. His full name was:

“Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno Crispín Crispiniano María de los Remedios de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz Picasso”.

At first, he incorporated his second-to-last name, Ruiz, into his signature — his earliest paintings were signed “P. Ruiz”, then “P. Ruiz Picasso”, then “P. R. Picasso”. He signed just “Ruiz” for some cartoons. Eventually, he settled on plain old “Picasso”.

And the rest is history.

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THE NAME GAME

Some lighthearted ways to ask someone how they would like to be addressed:

1. “What’s your go-to alias?”

2. “What name rings your bell?”

3. "What name makes your ears perk up in a crowded room?”

4. "What's the secret password to your attention?"

5. "If you were a boat, what would be painted on your stern?"

6. "What name would you want engraved on a golden statue of yourself?"

7. “If you were a superhero, what would your sidekick call you?”

8. “What name would you want a robot to call you?”

9. "What name would you want announced as you walk into a wrestling ring?"

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SYNONYMS

alias, anonym, appellation, banner, brand, byname, byword, call sign, cognomen, denomination, designation, epithet, fame, handle, identity, label, moniker, nickname, nom de guerre, nomenclature, notoriety, noun, patronymic, pseudonym, repute, sobriquet, stage name, tag, title, trademark, WHAT ONE GOES BY

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SMUGGLE OWAD into a conversation today, say something like:

"Nice to meet you. By the way, I’m Paul... WHAT DO YOU GO BY?”

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