Ponysona

A ponysona (/ˌpoʊniˈsoʊnə/ ^ⓘ POH-nee-SOH-nə; a portmanteau of pony and persona) is a personalized pony character created by bronies—fans of the animated television series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic—as an alter ego. Similar to fursonas in the furry fandom, ponysonas typically incorporate elements of the creator's personality, physical characteristics, or interests translated into My Little Pony form. The practice became popular following the show's premiere in 2010 and the subsequent growth of the brony fandom. Ponysonas are commonly used as profile pictures, in fan art, fan fiction, and role-playing communities across various social media platforms and forums dedicated to the franchise.^{[1][2]: 92–93 [3]}

• Clockwise from upper left: "Wiki Hooves", a Wikipedia editor's ponysona
• "Cloud Services", a ponification of Wikimedia Cloud Services
• "Poník Libuše" (transl. Pony Libuše), Czequestria's pony mascot
• 15's ponysona

Ponysonas are typically designed following the visual elements of the show, often incorporating distinctive coat colors, mane styles, cutie marks, and occasionally wings or horns to represent unicorn or pegasus types. These personalized pony characters frequently reflect aspects of their creator's personality, appearance, or interests, with cutie marks specifically designed to symbolize the creator's talents, passions, or defining traits.

In 2016, 46% of bronies reported that they had created at least one original character, and 39% reported identifying with a ponysona, which typically was among the first original characters they had created during their participation in the fandom.^{[2]: 92 [4]} By 2019, the percentage of bronies identifying with a ponysona had increased up to 49.3%.^[5] (In contrast, according to a 2020 survey, 95% of furries identify themselves with a fursona.^[6]: 180)

Within the community, original character designs that simply recolor existing characters from the show are often criticized for lacking creativity, despite their prevalence.^[4] Unlike fursonas, which often involve elaborate fursuits for physical embodiment at furry conventions, ponysonas tend to be expressed primarily through digital art, roleplay, and online interaction, with cosplay being a less common but still present form of expression. Some bronies describe their ponysonas as idealized versions of themselves, serving as personal avatars within the community that represent how they wish to be perceived.^{[2]: 92–93}