Tipping is an awful term.

Micropayments is more accurate, but also kinda technical/financial services sounding. Not exactly fun.

Microtipping is claimed by the nano people (google it), and really isn't better than either of the above.

We do have the analogy of street musicians and busking. When you give them money it isn't usually called a tip. I don't think English has a word for this, actually. It sometimes gets called a donation--but that is awful. But the interaction is the closest I've found to what we are doing on here.

You hit on a lot of what I've been hearing, and I do think most people unfamiliar with zapping just fail to get the idea with the words we use.

I'm becoming a zapping maxi (not in the sense that I'm particularly good at it--im still too stingy, although I've definitely made more on SN since I've been become looser with that zap button--but in the sense that using money (bitcoin) to mediate online interactions is such a better way).