Should bloggers use their real names or not?

[full house]

I prepare to use pen name rather than my real name, Just want to be safe. but I post my picture and tell a bit of me so that users will have an idea of the blog author.

[Gayana]

Originally Posted by guardianangel

How about considering transparency? Some on-business opportunities require real blogger's name.

Originally Posted by alex27

I guess it depends on what type of blog you have.

Originally Posted by EBORG9

I struggled with this for over a year. Putting your self out there can be really scary, but the conclusion that i came to is that I like and believe in what I do, and I am proud of what I have online.

Loosing my identity ? Anonymity ? Stalkers? I grew up in Detroit, MI, was Army MP, and spent years as a Bartender and Limo Driver in the Las Vegas Trenches. There are not many people that can scare me. I have already been called all the names, had all threats of injury and death...there isn't really a whole lot left that will make me uncomfortable.

So I have one blog that is my name, and I make my real name known on all of my profiles, and other websites, as the webmaster and editor.

You only get one shot at credibility, right? I don't many successful businessmen that use fake names.

How's one going to make an online authority and do business under a fake name. One would finally look for real business deals and contacts. Under fake names and profiles, it is kind of odd, as if wearing mask. Ohh, being open and transparent is the easiest and shortest way. If you look into shaking hands in a business deal, would be good to show professional and worthy profile, I think.

[mabel01]

well, I use my real name in blogging.

[firecat]

I started a blog in order to try to drive more traffic to my business sites. Since my real name is on the "about us" page on both of those (and certainly readily available to anyone who does a "whois" search on my domain names), I can't see any benefit in trying to hide behind an alias on the blog. If I were just blogging and nothing else, I might feel differently about it.

[guardianangel]

Originally Posted by firecat

If I were just blogging and nothing else, I might feel differently about it.

That is, if they blog just for fun and not for serious business.

[bang4buck]

I guess if you are branding a name other than your own name, it would be okay to be just the writer as a pseudonym because the emphasis is not on you.
I can also agree with those that talk about people being able to connect with the writer on a believable, personal level. However, I do also see the perspective of lack of privacy and having a Google search reveal a whole lot of personal information.
With these days of high ID compromises, can you afford to make it easy for the would-be phishers? I think that if you build believable, useful, truthful information that is of interest to readers; who you are can be totally irrelevant.
Just keep blogging about what you like or what's interesting to others and you should be safe. Can you really be safe in this virtual world of technology? All you can hope to achieve is a safe state of mind in which case, you are safe.

[rypher21]

i prefer using pen name when blogging...

[MaskedMarvel]

I use my real name. I don't see the danger in it.