--- title: AIM Is Gone So The Internet Shares Embarrassing Screen Names description: AIM screen names are gone, but definitely not forgotten canonical: https://time.com/5066142/aim-memories-best-internet-reactions/ author: Melissa Locker article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2017-12-15T16:56:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-04-13T07:49:19.321Z og:title: AIM Is Gone So The Internet Shares Embarrassing Screen Names og:description: AIM screen names are gone, but not forgotten in this nostalgia-feuled wake og:url: https://time.com/5066142/aim-memories-best-internet-reactions/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: TIME og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: AIM Is Gone So The Internet Shares Embarrassing Screen Names twitter:description: AIM screen names are gone, but not forgotten in this nostalgia-feuled wake twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- # The Internet Is Bonding Over Embarrassing Screen Names As AIM Signs Off Forever by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Dec 15, 2017 4:56 PM UTC by [Melissa Locker](https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/) ## Melissa Locker Dec 15, 2017 4:56 PM UTC Before there was [Snapchat](http://time.com/5041001/snapchat-app-redesign-tips/?iid=sr-link5), WhatsApp, Instagram messaging, or iChat, there was AIM, AOL’s instant messenger service and it was the best way for ’90s and ’00s teens to chat with friends, find like-minded Sonic the Hedgehog or Rancid fans, flirt with strangers, generally get awkward, and make all kinds of AIMemories. Since times—and [technology](http://time.com/5037753/top-10-apps-2017/?iid=sr-link7)— have changed, the service signed off for the last time on December 15, 20 years after it launched, and [the internet](http://time.com/5064822/net-neutrality-repeal-fcc/?iid=sr-link6) is throwing a nostalgia-fueled wake. Those who knew and loved the service are raiding their teenage diaries and sharing their AIM screen names and they are a [delightful](http://time.com/5064491/viral-school-photo/?iid=sr-link10) time capsule of wannabe cool, laugh-out-loud awkward, hindsight-is-embarrassing ’90s gems. Check out this list of classic screen names as a final away message to the service that started it all. > [](https://twitter.com/ItsBrianBuckley/status/941554715522977797) > [](https://twitter.com/gwayby/status/941469278448095232) > [](https://twitter.com/WildWitchBeauty/status/928017964632297472) > [](https://twitter.com/G%5Flewnit/status/941694048146001920) > [](https://twitter.com/sansarya%5F/status/941489796899377157) > [](https://twitter.com/UltrixCrow/status/941165256914751488) > [](https://twitter.com/wadeevans26/status/941381809044062209) > [](https://twitter.com/UltrixCrow/status/941165256914751488) > [](https://twitter.com/Val%5FSouth/status/941355877004709888) > [](https://twitter.com/mlisethhh/status/941401331234955264) > [](https://twitter.com/frozenforyou/status/941351243259064320) > [](https://twitter.com/darkrock17/status/941669115143520256) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5066142/aim-memories-best-internet-reactions/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5066142/aim-memories-best-internet-reactions/"},"headline":"The Internet Is Bonding Over Embarrassing Screen Names As AIM Signs Off Forever","datePublished":"2017-12-15T16:56:06.000Z","dateModified":"2026-04-13T07:49:19.321Z","description":"AIM screen names are gone, but definitely not forgotten","url":"https://time.com/5066142/aim-memories-best-internet-reactions/","keywords":["Newsfeed","twitter","AOL","the Internet","Viral News"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Melissa Locker","jobTitle":"","url":"https://time.com/author/melissa-locker/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/tag/time-section-newsfeed/","name":"Newsfeed"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5066142/aim-memories-best-internet-reactions/","name":"The Internet Is Bonding Over Embarrassing Screen Names As AIM Signs Off Forever"}}]}] ```