Changing names

[LADoug1]

Saw today that West Coast Mike changed his name to Mike Leo. Wondering why escorts do this.

[jjkrkwood]

Saw today that West Coast Mike changed his name to Mike Leo. Wondering why escorts do this.

 

 

Business isnt meeting expectations and so they need a bit of "reinvention"...

[Kippy]

Re-branding happens in business all the time! (Can you use it in a sentence please?) Someday Kenny may rebrand, reject his liberal ways and identify as a right winger!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

[Kenny]

Re-branding happens in business all the time! (Can you use it in a sentence please?) Someday Kenny may rebrand, reject his liberal ways and identify as a right winger!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

That wouldn't be re-branding, that would be suicide.

[bigvalboy]

Re-branding happens in business all the time! (Can you use it in a sentence please?) Someday Kenny may rebrand, reject his liberal ways and identify as a right winger!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

 

Right wing logic...

 

[+ Charlie]

Charter Communications takes over Time Warner Cable and announces, "Time Warner Cable is now Spectrum!" But the cable is still the same size.

[jimboivyo]

re branding only works if the original product was garbage to begin with

 

take that as you will. the good stuff always remains the good stuff.

[big-n-tall]

It could be any number reasons. Mainly (I think) a working guy changes his name because he has a bad rep and he is trying to rebrand to avoid the past negativity.

 

I have spoken with a few who have changed their names because.. someone important to them (employer, family, or friends) found out they escorted. so they rebrand to escape some notice. Another reason is, they felt they were harassed or stalked by a client... so they rebrand, again to escape notice. They retired and came back, wanting to start anew.

[+ Just Sayin]

Re-branding happens in business all the time! (Can you use it in a sentence please?) Someday Kenny may rebrand, reject his liberal ways and identify as a right winger!

 

Please do not do that!

[nate_sf]

It's not unusual for an escort at some point in his career to decide to add a surname if he was only going by a first name before.

[+ deej]

It's not unusual for an escort at some point in his career to decide to add a surname if he was only going by a first name before.

 

Yep. I spent quite a bit of time with a kid from SF who didn't start out with an "escort last name" and didn't realize until later that it bugged him. He asked me if I thought he should add it and we had a long and interesting discussion about escort name changes. It had never occurred to him that some clients view name changes as a mark of dishonesty.

[+ nycman]

I think escorts change names for all sorts of reasons.

 

Sure, trying to escape a bad reputation is one (and most likely the most frequent), but there are others.

 

The "re-brandings" that make sense to me:

 

Adding a new last name "Joey" becomes "Joseph Adams".

 

Going from a nondescript name to a "real" name: "MaxForce" becomes "Maxwell Johnson"

 

Correcting a bad youthful mistake: "CumDumpster90210" becomes "Frank Strong"

 

When it goes from one random name to another random name....I suspect shenanigans.

[+ Keith30309]

I think unfortunate decisions early in a guy's career definitely bear correction.

I was with a brand-new guy last week who had a generic "hotyoungguy" sort of screen name. The first bit of advice I gave him was to work on his brand, particularly a new name. It's awkward to call someone and say "Hi, this is Keith. Is this Hunkyoungguy? ".

Even if he's become known to a handful of clients it's far better to correct the mistake now than allow it to linger. In this case he didn't give me a name to call him until I asked "What would you like to be called?" and it made things a tiny bit awkward.

 

I think he 'got it' and is going to switch to something professional, but I see it a good bit and is an indicator of someone who may not be a polished professional.

[maninsoma]

Adding a last name? Reasonable. Having two different names, one for massage ads and one for escort ads? Reasonable. Changing one's name entirely, unless the initial name wasn't even a name at all (such as "hotyoungguy")? Suspicious. Changing one's name more than once? Add him to the "never hire" list. Anyone who needs repeated rebranding is obviously offering a substandard experience.

[rvwnsd]

I don't see an escort making a minor name change to be problematic. In Mike Leo's case, he called himself Mike Eastcoast when he lived on the east coast. After moving to the west coast he retained his name, but eventually he changed it to Mike Westcoast (which his ad still uses). Now he is Mike Leo. It isn't like he is suddenly calling himself Trevor or William or something. This, to me, is a non-issue.

[Nvr2Thick]

I don't see an escort making a minor name change to be problematic. In Mike Leo's case, he called himself Mike Eastcoast when he lived on the east coast. After moving to the west coast he retained his name, but eventually he changed it to Mike Westcoast (which his ad still uses). Now he is Mike Leo. It isn't like he is suddenly calling himself Trevor or William or something. This, to me, is a non-issue.

 

especially if he's contemplating a move to Chicago.

[Michael Wayne]

Some of us decide after years of using a stage name to actually use our own real name. When I started and was deeply closeted as not only an escort but as a gay man I used my middle name which is Wayne. When I did gay nude magazines the mags and photographers said I looked all American and suggested I use the name Allen. As I morphed into an older escort and came out I decided to be myself so I used the nickname Mikey (for Michael) which is what my family and friends call me. At the suggestion of some powers that be I started to use Michael Wayne because guys told me Mikey sounded like a kid! I like Magic Mikey but at my age Michael Wayne seems more appropriate. I know I am longwinded but I am an ex preacher so it is appropriate. lol!

[dlee02]

I never thought of all the other reasons escorts changing their name before. I've always thought of name changing as being fishy and untrustworthy. Latest example is Anthonyphysique/chistiannox or whatever he's called right now. He's so hot but the name changes and his reputation of being a flake kills the deal for me.

[+ saminseattle]

In Mike Leo's case, he called himself Mike Eastcoast when he lived on the east coast. After moving to the west coast he retained his name, but eventually he changed it to Mike Westcoast (which his ad still uses).

 

I love geographically based names.

[Samfoslom]

Charter Communications takes over Time Warner Cable and announces, "Time Warner Cable is now Spectrum!" But the cable is still the same size.

 

Key point here guys.....the "cable" is still the same size!:p

[rvwnsd]

I love geographically based names.

Me too.

[Meo]

I think escorts change names for all sorts of reasons.

 

Sure, trying to escape a bad reputation is one (and most likely the most frequent), but there are others.

 

The "re-brandings" that make sense to me:

 

Adding a new last name "Joey" becomes "Joseph Adams".

 

Going from a nondescript name to a "real" name: "MaxForce" becomes "Maxwell Johnson"

 

Correcting a bad youthful mistake: "CumDumpster90210" becomes "Frank Strong"

 

When it goes from one random name to another random name....I suspect shenanigans.

Great summary, this is what I tend to think too. I also think that a lot of younger workers don't realize repeated changes can look shady, as in all re-branding--do you really want your grandma in the nursing home that changes its name every two years? But I think most likely is that over time lots of guys want a true persona to do this work, a nom de frisky that is a first name-last name-REAL name that identifies them to themselves as well as to others. They do it for themselves too.

[+ nycman]

nom de frisky

 

My new favorite phrase!

 

I challenge each of you...you MUST work this phrase into a

casual conversation, preferably at work, at least once this week.

 

Let the games begin!

[marylander1940]

Re-branding happens in business all the time! (Can you use it in a sentence please?) Someday Kenny may rebrand, reject his liberal ways and identify as a right winger!

 

Peace,

 

Kipp

 

One thing is rebranding (changing your name) other thing is changing who you're or in this example going from smart to stupid.

[BgMstr4u]

I think rvnswd is probably right. My take is that it's because of a geographical change. My guess is that he wants to move around more. And maybe he wants the Leo to evoke something strong and roaring, or maybe something astrological.