Trail Names Among Appalachian Trail Long-Distance Hikers

Researchers studying nicknaming practices have uncovered a variety of interesting features across a range of social groups. This paper expands this line of research by examining the norms, bases, and functions of personal “trail names” among Appalachian Trail (AT) long-distance hikers. This voluntary and relatively egalitarian leisure social world provides an ideal setting for studying nicknaming practices, as virtually all participants adopt a trail name for themselves during their journey. The research design primarily consists of interviews with 107 long-distance hikers conducted by the first author in 2025 while hiking 425 miles of the AT across six states. Findings reveal that long-distance hikers display a remarkable degree of agency in trail naming practices, reflective of the “hike your own hike” philosophy that pervades the long-distance hiking social world on the AT. Bases for trail names vary, with many names blending multiple characteristics, making them deeply meaningful for hikers. Functions of trail names include boundary maintenance, feelings of in-group acceptance, anxiety reduction, and identity transformation. The article’s discussion includes the theoretical implications of these findings and concludes with suggestions for future research.

Agency (philosophy) · Feeling · Identification (biology) · Identity (music) · Personal identity · Social identity theory · Social relationship · Variety (cybernetics) · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research · Place Attachment and Urban Studies · Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management