A Quick Guide on How to Make a Username

Creative ways to generate your screen name

Your username is your online identity. Whether you’re posting on forums, editing a wiki, playing games, or doing any other online activity that involves interacting with others, your username will be the first thing other people see. Coming up with a good username can take time, but it’s also a fun creative process! This wikiHow guide will cover some basic tips on how to create your username on your mobile device or computer.

Things You Should Know

  • Start the account creation process by clicking the “Sign up” button on a website.
  • Use an online username generator to quickly create a unique username.
  • Design a creative username manually by combining your interests and the website’s topic.
Section 1 of 4:

Starting Account Creation

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    Locate the Sign up button. This is typically located on the home page of the website you’re signing up for. For example, on https://github.com/, it’s in the top right of the home page.
    • This might be called Create an account or Get started depending on the website.
    • Some websites don’t have a Sign up button and instead require you to click Sign in and then Create an account.
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    Enter the requested information. This can include an email address, password, and other information.
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    Locate the username entry box. This is where you’ll enter your username for the website. Continue to the next methods for tips on creating your username!
    • After creating your account, you’ll typically receive an email with your username confirming the account creation.
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Section 2 of 4:

Options for Username Creation

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    Note the following options for creating your username. Depending on the website, you might want to spend some extra time creating a unique username. You have a few options! If you just need a quick username, try a random name generator. If this is a username that other users will see, you can get creative to represent your online self.
    • If you’re changing an existing username, see our how-to guides for Spotify, Minecraft, and YouTube.
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    Use a random username generator. There are several free online random username generators that can create names with specified parameters. See the Creating the Username Automatically below for more information. Here are a couple good online options:
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    Create the username manually. This means generating your own username based on personal interests and the website you’re creating an account for. See the Creating the Username Manually method below for tips!
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Section 3 of 4:

Creating the Username Automatically

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    Go to an online username generator in your web browser. These can randomly create usernames with certain parameters. This method will cover LastPass’s online username generator, but the steps apply to most username tools.
    • Here is a link to the LastPass generator: https://www.lastpass.com/features/username-generator.
    • Another advantage of name generators is that they’re often themed! For example, you can search for a fantasy or sci-fi name generator to make a unique fictional username.
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    Change the customization options. You can change the length and included characters in the “Customize your username” section.
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    Click the generate button. It’s the two arrows in a circle. This will create a new username using the specified settings.
    • Repeat this generation process until you get a username that you like.
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    Click the copy button. It’s a rectangle in front of another rectangle. This will copy the username to your clipboard. You’re done! You can now paste the username in the username field of the account creation screen.
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Section 4 of 4:

Creating the Username Manually

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    Note these safety tips. It’s important to protect your personal information when creating a username. Here are a few things you can do to protect your privacy:
    • Stay anonymous. Avoid using any personally identifiable information when creating your username. This includes your first or last name or your birthdate.
    • Don’t include any part of your password in your username.
    • Create a unique username for every website. This can help prevent tracking of your activity across multiple sites.
    • Read our general guide to internet safety for more info.
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    Decide on a theme for your username. If you’re creating an account for a forum with a specific topic (e.g. car discussion), you may want your username to reflect that topic (e.g. “honda_civic_30”). If it’s a more general website (e.g. Reddit), you can choose a broad topic (e.g. a personal interest, a pun, or even your spirit animal).
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    Look at other users’ names for inspiration. This can help you get the general feeling for the website and what usernames there tend to look like. You can strike a balance between a username that’s similar to others’ while also making it unique.
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    Consider making your username a reference. For example, you could reference a quote from your favorite book or a character from a movie. You could also reference your hobby or a sport!
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    Tap into your interests. For example, if you like fixing up old cars, base your username around your favorite car manufacturer or model.
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    Create a compound username. Use a combination of your interests to help you create a unique username. Combine two or more different words together to create a single username. This will help make your name more unique, and increase the chances that you will be able to use it.
    • Including some adjectives can increase the uniqueness of your username. You could put a color or descriptor before your username. For example, “the_quick_orange_cat”.
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    Look up synonyms. You can swap out words for their synonyms if your first idea has already been taken. This is a great way to keep the original meaning of your username.
    • You can use an online dictionary to search words and find synonyms. The Merriam-Webster dictionary is available for free online: https://www.merriam-webster.com/.
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    Keep it short. If you’re going to be typing in your username on a regular basis, you’ll appreciate a shorter name! Shorten long words (e.g. turn Mississippi to Miss or Missi) and try to keep the username easy to type.
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    Use symbols to simulate spaces and letters. Most websites won’t let you use a space in your username, but many will let you use the “_” underscore character to mimic a space. You can also use certain numbers to replace letters, such as “7” instead of “T” or “3” instead of “E”. This is known as “leet speak”, and is typically found in online video gaming circles.
    • Periods are often used to separate words in usernames as well.
    • Don’t use your birth year at the end of your username, especially if you are a minor, as it makes it very easy to identify how old you are.
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    Write down a few ideas. If you’re having trouble choosing a username, write down all of the ones you’ve thought of so far. This can help you compare names and combine existing ideas into something new.
    • Don’t stress about it too much. Many websites allow you to change your username after making your account. Check the website’s username guidelines first!
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do create a password
    Kyle Smith
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
    Kyle Smith
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Expert Answer
    Creating a password is usually done during the account creation process. Some websites require your password to have certain attributes (e.g. length, special characters, numbers). You can make a password manually by typing in a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. Or, you can use a password generator like Google Chrome’s password manager.
  • Question
    Can i make a new user name when i already forgot my user name?
    Kyle Smith
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
    Kyle Smith
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Expert Answer
    Some websites have a button that says “Forgot your username?” on the account login screen. Click this button to recover your account. Then, you may be able to choose a new username using the account settings on the website.
  • Question
    Help me pick and submit a user name for me that you think no one has or one that will work
    Kyle Smith
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo.
    Kyle Smith
    Kyle Smith
    wikiHow Technology Writer
    Expert Answer
    Choosing a username that no one has picked yet can be tough, but there are a few things you can try! Adding more adjectives to the username makes it less likely that someone has already used that specific combination of words. Or, add numbers to the end of the username to increase the chances of it being unique.
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Warnings

  • Be sure to read the wikiHow Username Policy, but only if you are creating a name for wikiHow. The wikiHow username policy does not apply to sites in general.
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
  • Pay attention to the requirements of the website. More than often the instructions will state "Username must not contain any suggestive or inappropriate language."
    ⧼thumbs_response⧽
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About This Article

Kyle Smith
Written by:
Kyle Smith
wikiHow Technology Writer
This article was co-authored by wikiHow staff writer, Kyle Smith. Kyle Smith is a wikiHow Technology Writer, learning and sharing information about the latest technology. He has presented his research at multiple engineering conferences and is the writer and editor of hundreds of online electronics repair guides. Kyle received a BS in Industrial Engineering from Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. This article has been viewed 1,758,475 times.
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Co-authors: 89
Updated: March 6, 2023
Views: 1,758,475
Categories: Internet Passwords and Usernames
Article SummaryX

To create a good username, start by considering how you want to be perceived by others at first glance, since your username is the first thing people see when they interact with you online. It's also important to tailor your username based on whether you're using the service professionally or personally. If you want to stay anonymous, be sure to choose something that doesn't contain any identifiable information, like your first or last name and birth date. Shorter is usually better, so try to avoid long usernames that will be difficult to remember or a nuisance to type out when you're logging in. For tips on using symbols and spaces in a username, read on!

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