I recently changed my name to RosieSoCosy. But I used to be SNWgames. I'll explain more about that later in this post. For now, I'll explain how the name came into existence.

It started with a Sims site...

If you're here, you probably know I'm Rosie, and I am the SimsNetwork webmiss. I started my first Sims fansite in 2000. It eventually grew into what is now SimsNetwork. I started SimsNetwork early 2004, after going through a bunch of name changes (Rosana's Simpage, Simworld, Simnet, SimNetwork, and finally SimsNetwork).

The thing is, SimsNetwork is a long name. And while I don't mind, sometimes it was just easier to abbreviate the name to SNW. I think some of our forum members started using the abbreviation because it was easier in conversations/topics.

What do you mean it's not available?!

Fast forward to 2009. I had been on YouTube since the beginning, with my personal account. But I didn't have a Sims account on YouTube yet. And while I didn't do any Let's Plays or speed builds yet, I did want to register my site's name on YouTube so I could upload new game trailers and old videos from previous games.

As I was registering the username SimsNetwork, YouTube let me know I couldn't have that username, because it was already taken by someone else! The audacity... I'm only half kidding. But it did suck. So I figured, maybe I could use SNW. But that name was banned, and therefore also not available anymore. You can imagine I started to panic a little. I couldn't have my actual site's name, and I couldn't use the abbreviation either, what else was left?

I gave it a little thought, and eventually went with SNWgames. It was the abbreviation + games. Looking back, it was a stupid name. But I really didn't know what else to pick at the time. I'm still on YouTube with that account by the way, but it's now just SNW, please do subscribe!

Twitch

A few years later I did end up claiming the SimsNetwork url as the actual YouTube url (not the username, but the channel). But by then I was already using SNWgames on a bunch of social networks. This includes Twitch. I joined some time in 2013 because of The Sims. The Sims team regularly went live with their Sims 3 broadcasts, and at some point I wanted to join Twitch so I could also comment in chat.

I kept the name for almost 9 years. I even started streaming with this name. First in 2013 (only a few tests in Minecraft I believe), later in 2018 officially, more seriously this time, with The Sims. Now I have had a couple of breaks on the channel, but the point is, I was using the name on a lot of socials. And at some point I also registered the domain name, and decided to add non-Sims downloads to the site.

Hi Snow! Hi Sims!

I also had the name on various games. And whenever I would be on a MMORPG, or when I entered someone's chat on Twitch, people would call me Snow 🙄 It wasn't fun the first time it happened. But over time I really grew tired of this.

I had a similar problem with my Dutch account the moment I started streaming there. My initial name was SimsNetwerk. Because my Dutch Sims site is named SimsNetwerk. But when I was in people's chats after raiding them, and even if they knew me, they'd call me Sims. And I hated it. I'm NOT The Sims! So I rebranded that account to Rosiewosie. I have no regrets. But when I wanted to change my name on my English account, I couldn't think of a good name. After all. I'd already used the one name I could think of for the Dutch channel.

I have thought about it for well over a year, probably even longer. I knew I wasn't happy with the name, but I didn't know what else to call myself. There aren't that many names available anymore on Twitch. For a while I was stuck with a name I no longer wanted. I gave it a rest for a bit since I'm busy enough anyways. But it wasn't the end of this journey.

On my own

The problem is, in 2020 I started streaming in Dutch. On my own. I don't mind streaming on my own, I really don't. But it was always something I did with Cheetah/Wouter aka hubby, which I loved. In recent years we've both become just incredibly tired and worn out at the end of the day (young kids tend to have that effect on you, it's quite normal). I totally understand hubby no longer wants to stream with me on every occasion. But it was our thing, you know? I needed some time to think it over. I definitely needed time to come to terms with the fact that even if I returned to SNWgames on Twitch, he wasn't always going to stream with me. So I figured: If he's not going to be my regular streaming partner anymore, I might as well choose a name that suits *me* instead of *us* - that really changed things for me.

I realised in the past few years that I've deliberately deprived myself of other games. I only played The Sims. I was mostly building or creating content. Other games did not stand a chance. Don't get me wrong, I love The Sims. But there's more to life than The Sims. I don't want The Sims to be the only thing I play both on and off stream. Especially when Animal Crossing: New Horizons came out, I realised I love that game SO much. I still do. With over 2500 hours in ACNH, it's fair to say I now play a variety of other wholesome games. And I plan to do that more on the RosieSoCosy channel. I feel that a lot of the wholesome and indie games don't necessarily lend themselves for my Dutch channel anyway. It's mostly a different audience, with difference preferences. I know that when I play certain games, a good portion of my followers just won't show up. I'm not their favourite streamer and when I'm not playing their favourite game, they won't come by. They are well within their right, of course. I get it. When I don't feel particular games I won't watch streams either (unless someone is my favourite person to watch). But this does make it so that I want to shift my focus a little to the English channel at times.

I don't fit in... 💔

I also realised this year that I am not really part of the Dutch community the way I thought. I was under the impression I belonged, too. But after some events had occurred I woke up this summer and realised, I really don't. It's not that I haven't tried. I have given it my all. And I'm not angry at anyone, I don't really blame anyone. I definitely cried though when I realised I'm just not going to fit in the way I want. Sometimes you just don't "click" with people like others do. But maybe it's a good thing. Because it meant I kept looking for something else to do besides "just" stream in Dutch. Because I was missing something. For a while it felt like I was stuck within the same community for the rest of my time on Twitch. And at some point most people have seen your channel via friends. I know chances of growing your channel in English is hard. But with the types of games I play, my schedule and just the person I am, I am also never going to be a big streamer in Dutch anyway. And that's okay. It made me realise I need to not stay in one place just because it feels safe. I need to do what makes me happy. To clarify, I am not going to stop streaming in Dutch. But there's just way more than the Dutch community and I need to venture out. I'm not happy. Only I can change that.

Something Cosy

After realising this I started searching for available names again. I think I came up with 30 available names (don't worry, I won't list them here). I knew I really wanted something with "rosie" and "cosy" in it. Unfortunately CosyRosie was taken.

I asked my Dutch community. So, if you have to choose, would you choose "cosy" or "cozy" (and why)? I have to say it was about 50/50. But in the end I knew I wanted cosy. For the simple reason I mostly communicate in British English and not American English.

One day we were having lunch with our eldest son Seth, who is also planning to start streaming soon. And he was in the same position (sort of, with the name at least) and hubby helped him a great deal picking a new name. So after he had his name, I asked them to give me advice on the names I was thinking about. And both Wouter and Seth said RosieSoCosy was the best one.

It took me a little while to figure it out, but it's a perfect name for me. I wanted something cosy, something catchy, something cute, something easy to remember, something more personal. Something that when I enter a chat or a game, people know, oh it's Rosie. And I've not seen anyone with this name. I managed to snag all the socials with this name and I love it!

Ever since I changed my name on Twitch I've gotten SO many awesome reactions from people. Both from people I actually know and people who had never seen me before. They all just love the name. So I know it was the right choice to change it!

So that's it then for SNW(games)?

Not quite. I mean, I'm no longer SNWgames on Twitch. But I will continue to be SNW on both Twitter and Tumblr. I like my short names there.

What about the SNWgames site?

Yeah see, there wasn't that much on there (yet). I was working really hard in recent months to bring that one back with tons of new game downloads for (non Sims) games. I even designed a new site for it. That now feels a bit silly since I did all of that work for nothing. But it's okay. I think it was necessary for me to realise this isn't the site I wanted in the first place. At least, not as SNWgames. Meaning, I'm adding all the downloads to the RosieSoCosy site in the future, and will continue to create game mods as RosieSoCosy. I'm very excited about that!

If you made it this far, you deserve a pat on the back. This was quite the read 😂 Thanks for reading! And see you (everywhere) as RosieSoCosy! 🥰