Moniker

Monikers are names adopted by Maillardet's Academy students and public heroes for use in the field.
==History==
Monikers are a relic of the time when posthuman heroes kept their identities secret. Now that BPHA-approved heroes' identities are public information, most of them use their monikers for branding or marketing purposes instead.quipquipquip: "If the poster identities are public information anyway, what's the point of monikers?"
==At Maillardet's==
At the beginning of the third block of training, students are asked to choose a moniker. They are encouraged to think carefully, selecting something that holds personal meaning to them, bearing in mind that names tend to stick and that they may well carry their moniker over into a future career as a public hero.quipquipquip: "Things To Know About Monikers" New students are given a year's grace period to choose a name.Origins, Issue #6, p. 261
Once a student has chosen their new name, it is printed on the back of their training shirt. Instructors will refer to them by their monikers, and students are expected to learn and use their classmates' monikers as well, no matter how silly they are. This is supposed to give the students three or four years to feel out which handle works for them and become used to the hero name they will use in their future careers.Origins, Issue #2, p. 62 Many end up changing their monikers either before or shortly after graduation.quipquipquip: "Convince Ernest to change his moniker to The Strongman"
==Changing monikers==
There is no rule against changing one's moniker, and many have done so after a major life change. John Wright is one example of this, having initially gone by the name of Knight before switching to Commander. Although he has held his current moniker for nearly thirty years, there are still some who call him by his original name.
==Legacy monikers==
Many retired heroes choose to pass their monikers down to a worthy replacement. This must be done carefully, as the conduct of their successor will reflect back on them. Should the new bearer of the name turn to vigilantism or other unsavory antics, it may stain the original name-holder's reputation.
In order to take on a legacy moniker, the interested party must first obtain the original name-holder's permission. If they do not, their predecessor can — and usually will — take legal action against them.
Examples of legacy monikers include Champ (held by Roxanne Galán-Grant, followed by Ernest Wright) and Knight (held by John Wright, followed by Nora).
==Retiring monikers==
In extraordinary circumstances, a moniker may be permanently retired, preventing any posters from registering under that name in the future. Examples include Rook, which was retired after Corbin Underwood's death,quipquipquip: "Are all important people at the Foundation named after chess?" and Knight, following the death of Nora Fitzroy, the second person to use that moniker.
==References==
Category:Public heroes
Category:Posthumans