What is a nom?

Noms, short for noms de plume, are a huge part of the National Puzzlers’ League (NPL). Most NPL members have chosen noms for themselves. These noms may involve wordplay on their name (e.g. Wild Rice, whose first name is Eric, which is an anagram of “rice”), references to hobbies or interests (B‑Side, who loves music), even relationships to other Krewe members (yodaughter, whose mother joined the NPL about five years before yodaughter did and picked the nom YoMama). 

One of the easiest ways to get to know a fellow member of the NPL is to ask about their nom. Many enjoy talking about how they chose theirs; some noms are a puzzle in themselves, and the fun is in figuring it out. If you meet Ucaoimhu or G2znii, ask about their nom, but be prepared for a complicated explanation!  At the NPL’s annual convention, everyone wears nom tags (like name tags, see?), so it’s easy to learn someone’s nom and ask about it.

If you’d like a nom of your own, consider joining the NPL. You don’t have to pick a nom immediately, and you can change your nom at any point. If you are stuck for ideas, reach out to friends, family, and other “Krewe” (NPL members) – inspiration for the perfect nom can strike from anywhere!