Wow, I was half expected to get flamed for this thread (still fairly new, so I think I'm still nervous to post anything or click any links!) - I really appreciate you guys responding.
Yeah, I had a couple of names I used on BBS's and then IRC before I used this one, but unfortunately I spent most of my time in a channel that moved from Undernet to efnet; when it moved, I spent quite a bit of time fighting with some other guy for my nick. It wasn't a big deal, I would just put it in brackets or dashes when he was online and using it, but then I started getting messages meant for him...and it turns out that he was an op in a channel for homosexual teenage boys. So, yeah, I stopped using that nick.
In case you're wondering, that nick was 'Phazed'. Seemed like a great nick to me, but apparently he liked it, too.
Matter of fact, now that I think about it, maybe that experience is why I'm having such a mental block about picking a new nick...