What’s the Story Behind Your Geocaching Username?

[+hamsterdude10]

Hey all,

 

We see thousands of usernames in logs, forums, and trackable visits—but there’s often a fun story behind each one.

 

So… what’s the story behind your geocaching name?

 

Is it a nickname you’ve had for years?

 

A pun or play on words?

 

A reference to a favorite book, hobby, or movie?

 

Something totally random that just stuck?

 

 

And have you ever considered changing it (or do you wish you had picked something else)?

 

Let’s share the origin stories of our cacher names—it’s one of those things we see all the time but

rarely ask about!

[+niraD]

I first used niraD werGcM as a nom de plume in high school, when I wrote a paper styled after Horace Miner's "Body Ritual among the Nacirema". For the record, I pronounce niraD as "NEAR-add", and the similarity to the Indian name Nirad is entirely coincidental.

[+Wanderschuler]

Wanderschuler translates to HikingSchoolBoy in German. The first cache I ever found was called HikingSchoolBoy. Wasn't a glamorous cache, but it was good memories with my then-3-year-old. I briefly had another username for the first few weeks before I switched to Wanderschuler.

[+Harry Dolphin]

It's my AT hiking name.  When I lived down the shore, I loved the Asbury Park boardwalk.  Wheel spinning game.  Put a quarter on a number.  Wheel is spinned.  Same number!  I won a prIze.  I chose a stuffed dolphin.  I love dolphins!  I named him Harry Dolphin.  When I started section hiking the AT, I needed a trail name.  I picked Harry Dolphin!  As of twenty years ago, I did finish half the Appalachian Trail.  Hmm...  I need a geocaching name?  I'm Harry Dolphin!!  Oddly,  most of the people I know think my name is Harry...

[+Rich the Bushwhacker]

I had a habit of doing a straightline approach to geocaching.  Who needs trails?  I just bushwhacked over hills and streams to get there.    I've learned over the years,   the shortest route is not necessarily the best,  but I still bash thru the underbrush way to often.     

[+Sottiwotti]

It's a nickname my classmates gave me. It's a complete bastardization of my real name, and it doesn't mean anything

[+Weber_and_Sons]

For some reason my mom always makes weber and sons her username for things so she remembers but now I'm ten times more involved in geocaching than her and want to change it to fit me more but can't.

[+brekkcaching123]

My name: Brekken.

Biggest Hobby: Geocaching.

brekkcaching123

🤣

[+Smitherington]

In my early teen years I decided I needed an alias. I created one which included a last name of Smitherington. I have no idea where it came from except my mind. There was no internet at that time so I take credit for creating the name. When I started caching it was easy to decide my caching name. I still like it and have never thought of changing it. 

[+MartyBartfast]

18 hours ago, Weber_and_Sons said:

For some reason my mom always makes weber and sons her username for things so she remembers but now I'm ten times more involved in geocaching than her and want to change it to fit me more but can't.

You can change your username via your profile page.

[+dimwit61]

It is my excuse for not finding D/T 1 caches.

 

[+brodiebunch]

Brodie was our dog back in 2003 when we started geocaching. We were a trio until 2006 then a foursome when we got our second dog.

Brodie passed away in 2017 and we became a trio again. Molly passed away in 2021 and we became a duo. Now in 2025 we have a puppy and back to a trio. 

Though honestly only one of us geocaches regularly over the years-me, but the handle works for us. 

[+geodarts]

I don't play darts but I am a passionate fan of the professional game, the epitome of sporting drama.   Combine that with geo -- and there you go.

 

I started by using my real last name.  Then I was i was listening to a Richard Thompson track that featured a particular name. "My name is Mulvaney. . . "  i used that for a while but it never felt right.  

 

If I were to do it again I would think about adapting a name in the style of the IWW or a Utah Phillips song. 

[+Mudfrog]

I've always liked frogs, what's not to like?   I got heavy into 4wds and four wheeling, mostly mudding when I was younger. The nickname fits me pretty well, not only here but anywhere a nickname is used.

[+Justin Of Terrytown]

My first name is Justin and I live in Terrytown.  

 

The reason I picked this username for Geocaching is because it is the username I use for Where's George and Postcrossing.  I started Where's George first in 2001 when I was in the tenth grade.  If I was older, I would have chosen a different username. 

[+CAVinoGal]

My first choice for my username was simply VinoGal.  I work at a winery, enjoy my wine and sharing what I've learned about wines and wine tasting with customers in the tasting room where I pour wine.  VinoGal was already taken though, by someone who found 12 caches in 2010 over a 3 week period and has not logged in since.  I really didn't want to add a number, so I chose to add CA at the beginning as I live in California.  CAVinoGal was available, and that's who I became in the geocaching world!

[+barefootjeff]

Mine's pretty self-explanatory. My real name's Jeff and I don't like wearing shoes. There have been a small handful of occasions when I've had to put something on my feet, such as caches surrounded by oyster shells or at events held in licensed venues with a dress rule requiring footwear, but the rest of the time I've been happily caching barefoot.

 

[+Geovloggen]

I chose my name because I vlog about my adventures. And then I chose to use it for geocaching as well.

Take a look here -> https://www.youtube.com/@Geovloggen

[+geoBirder]

Fun… My two favourite hobbies are geocaching and birding, so I’m “geoBirder”. I actually have a (simple) cache called “Who Are You” which encourages finders to explain their caching names. It’s been a fun way to meet local cachers. 

[+PlantAKiss]

My name is an embarrassment.   It's an old email name created like 40 years ago when I was into gardening and plants and it was supposed to be a little play on words. Not anything flirty.  Now that I'm ancient it is very embarrassing. But so many people know me by that name (shortened into a nickname PAK). I feel like if I changed it now after all these years, it would be confusing for people because they know me as that name. So I be stuck with it! Now I just cringe if I meet someone on the trail and know they are thinking. "THAT'S PlantAKiss?!!???" 

[+MartyBartfast]

When I first signed up I just chose initials and a random number, but after a few months and seeing the more interesting names people had I decided to change it. As I was reading the Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy for about the third time I decided on a mashup of my name (Martyn) and my fave character from the book.

 

 

[+Snoogans]

I'm a huge Kevin Smith & Douglas Adams fan. After I found my first cache, i needed to pick a geonick so I picked Zaphod Beeblebrox because his character matches up with my personality a lot. TAKEN.

Without losing a beat I typed in Snoogans.

Just a few days before my fist ever geocache find, I bought and watched all 5 hours of An Evening with Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes makes an appearance and is asked what Snoogans means since he is the one that made the word up. Simply put, it means "I'm kidding you." And if you know me...