After the born of merit system, people would prefer to use self-made terminology to call users whom started from zero (Brandnew or Newbie) to Hero (higher ranks). They would prefer to use the terminology for users whom have gone through challenges of both merit system and new rank requirements. There is no one like this, for now, only 14 users whom ranked up from Hero Member rank to Legendary rank so far. That is what @Pmalek wrote that we should not call them as self-made Legendary
I would like to make it clearer that we should not over forensically discuss about this. What are differences between self-made Legendary, half-self-made Legendary; and before-merit-sytem-born-self-made Legendary. That's very complicated and weird. Constructive users are always constructive users; and true Legendaries are always Legendaries no matter when they become Legendaries (before or after merit system born).
There is @nullius, whom should be called as a honorable Legendary, even he has not reached that rank so far (due to inactively in the forum months ago)