Username ‘all important’ when online dating

People searching for love online wanting to give themselves every chance of finding a suitable match may wish to start by adopting a sensible username.

Opting for a funny, quirky or overly-descriptive moniker could put people off straight away – even before they have browsed a person's profile or taken a closer look at their photograph.

A simple and inoffensive username is unlikely to deter other users, while those who are after a serious relationship may be dismayed by tags suggesting people are using the service just for a bit of fun.

Indeed, Andrea Bartz and Brenna Ehrlich, authors of the blog Stuff Hipsters Hate and the book Stuff Hipsters Hate: A Field Guide to the Passionate Opinions of the Indifferent, have noted choosing a silly name is one of the actions online daters would be wise to avoid, CNN reports.

The pair pointed to a recent German study that suggested those with less desirable names are less likely to locate a prospective partner via the web, recommending: "Pick a simple username, write an honest profile and pray to the good god Eros for better luck next year."