A Pragmatic Analysis of University Students’ Wechat Nicknames

Abstract

With the advancement of technology, people can now communicate rapidly via the Internet. Online nicknames, such as those used on platforms like WeChat, serve as the first impression in virtual communication. These nicknames reflect not only individual preferences but also deeper value orientations, making their study particularly meaningful. This research collected WeChat nicknames from 85 undergraduate students from 3 universities through questionnaires and conducted a pragmatic analysis focusing on their origins, naming intentions, and the cultural and psychological meanings behind them. The results reveal that students show high levels of autonomy and creativity in nickname selection. Different nicknames also reflect varied personality traits and value systems among university students. A deeper analysis of WeChat nicknames can enhance our understanding of language use in social media and provide new insights into contemporary youth culture and social behaviour.