Around these parts we use the following names for these characters
(please no flames about how outdated and obscure these are):
! - explanation point
() - parentheses
[] - brackets
~ - tilde
* - asterisk
@ - at sign
$ - dollar sign
% - percent sign
a - the letter a
: - bob
...
Rick L Spickelmier
...!ucbvax!ucbcad!ricks (UUCP)
ucbcad.ricks@berkeley (ARPA)