How to Create the Perfect Username (2024)

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Generate a cool username for Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, and others

Tim Fisher

Senior Vice President & Group General Manager, Tech & Sustainability

Emporia State University

Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.

lifewire's editorial guidelines

Updated on June 1, 2022

Reviewed by

Kayla Dube

What to Know

Incorporate your favorite things, such as food, celebrities, or career aspirations.
Use an online screen name generator such as SpinXO.
Build an unlikely username by substituting symbols and letters, like 3 for E and $ for 5.

Add Favorite Things to Your Username

Do you like the color purple, dinosaurs, candy, and the number 7? Something like SweetPurpleDinosaur7 will go a long way.

Jot down a few of your favorite things and consider your job or career aspirations, favorite foods, celebrities, sports teams, movies... Just be creative!

Consider What's Around You

Have you exhausted your lists of favorite things? Consider school mascots, your town, or other things relative to where you live and what you care about. However, be very careful not to give away too much information. Internet predators could potentially identify your location by your screen name.

Something like SweetTexarkanaHighDinosaurGirl91 might seem innocent at first until you realize that online sleuths can probably decipher it as a Texarkana, TX, high school girl who graduated or was born in 1991.

On that note, maybe you should choose something specific that doesn't apply to you for even more anonymity.

Use a Screen Name Generator

One of the easiest ways to create a screen name with the least effort is to let your computer do it for you. There are several screen name generators available that are easy and fun to use.

Here are our top picks:

SpinXO: Generates names using information like your hobbies, important words, names, numbers, and things you like. You can get 30 usernames immediately and refresh for more. Click a username at SpinXO to see if they're available on different platforms like Reddit, Tumblr, YouTube, or Instagram.
Screen Name Generator: Enter two words at The Screen Name Generator to have it generate a unique screen name that's a combination of your words plus something random in between them. It's an excellent tool to use if you have specific words that you'd like to include in your username.
Rum and Monkey: Rum and Monkey's online name generator is broken down into categories to help you find the best login ID. Get an ancient Greek name or something in military code. You can even go for a Minion or Korean name. Select a category and your gender, and enter your name to get a fun and unique username.
Fake Name Generator: This website not only gives you a username but even a whole identity, including a first and last name, address, birthday, physical attributes, employment information, and more. A bit much? Maybe so, but the usernames are pretty random, and the other details are fun to read.

What to Do When Your Screen Name Is Unavailable

Have you hit the 'this username is taken'roadblock and need creative inspiration? A used screen name doesn't mean it wasn't meant to be. Just like when creating strong passwords that are hard to guess, you can also use non-English word combinations to build unlikely usernames.

Consider substituting symbols and letters that are similar: @=a, 3=e, $=5, S=5.Most messaging apps and social networks will let you use symbols in a username and, with many to choose from; the possibilities are nearly endless.

For example, ifSweetPurpleDinosaur7is already in use, consider making it $weetPurpleD1nOsaur7.

FAQ

How do I change my Snapchat username?

Technically, the only way to change your Snapchat username is to create a new account. However, if you want to change your display name, go to your Profile > Settings > Name and enter a new name.
How do I change my TikTok username?

To change your TikTok username, go to Me > Edit profile > Username and tap your current username. To just change your display name, go to Me > Edit profile > Name and tap your current display name.
How do I get a Facebook username?

To get a Facebook username, select the drop-down arrow in the upper-right corner, then select Settings & Privacy > Settings. Go to the Username field and select Edit.
What shouldn't I include in my username?

Don't include your full name, email address, physical address, or phone number. Avoid using the same username and password combinations for multiple accounts.

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How to Create the Perfect Username (2024)

FAQs

How do I create a good username? ›

Everyone has their own definition of a “good” username, but in general we think a solid handle is one that's unique, representative of your personality, and easy to remember. Complicated symbols, misspellings, or anything that could be considered offensive should, of course, be off the table.

Read On ›

What is an example of a good username? ›

An initial: Incorporating a first, middle or last initial into your username can be a useful way to identify yourself professionally online. For example, someone with the full name Sarah Lee Tomslin might create a username like @SarahLTomslin, @SLeeTomslin, @SarahLeeT or @SLTomslin.

Discover More Details ›

How do you think of a catchy username? ›

Consider incorporating your interests, hobbies, or a clever play on words that reflects your personality. Additionally, you can try combining different words or using a combination of your name and an adjective to create something distinctive and memorable.

How to pick a cool username? ›

You can also incorporate puns in your usernames to give them that special flair. Another fun trick is to choose a random word and spell it backwards. For a good gamertag, start off by considering the characters from your favorite games, or associate your own name with the game you love.

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What should not be in a username? ›

Personal Information: Avoid using any personal information such as your real name, date of birth, or address as part of your username.

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What does a username look like? ›

Your username can be your email address, name, or nickname. Usernames can incorporate spaces, numbers, and certain special characters such as periods (.), hyphens (-), apostrophes ('), underscores (_), and the @ sign.

Tell Me More ›

Should I use my real name as a username? ›

The short version is that using a generic username, like one based on your real name, can make it easier for cybercriminals to target you. Creating secure usernames means you have an extra layer of defense against attackers, with password managers as the best way to create and store them.

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How do I keep my username unique? ›

Creating Your Own Unique Usernames

The best way to create unique username ideas is by combining two or three mismatched words with a number. First, come up with two or three categories, and then pick a word from each.

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What makes a valid username? ›

Usernames can contain letters (a-z), numbers (0-9), and periods (.). Usernames cannot contain an ampersand (&), equals sign (=), underscore (_), apostrophe ('), dash (-), plus sign (+), comma (,), brackets (<,>), or more than one period (.) in a row.