I just know that some users changed their names for privacy reasons and probably don't want to be listed there.
Changing your nickname doesn't help to hide
The profile ID remains the same:
For example:
https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=547435You can hide your identity only by deleting your account. But deleting option
was cancelled long agois no longer supported by the forumEven the great Anonymous (first deleted user on bitcointalk) could be identified (former nicknames are "Immanuel Go" and "Atlas") by quoted posts