How to Pick a Unique, Secure, and Easy-to-Remember Username

We all know first impressions matter on social media. So, how do you choose the perfect username for Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and other social media platforms when it feels like all the best ones are already being used? Whether you’re coming up with username ideas for your own profile or building your brand, the right name will make you stand out and get noticed. Plus, your social media handle tells your friends and followers about who you are! Need a little inspiration? This wikiHow article teaches you ways to create a unique username, with expert tips from brand and licensing specialist Pete Canalichio and tech specialist Luigi Oppido.

Ways to Make a Unique Username

Find a username that reflects your hobbies, interests, skills, or professional occupation. Consider the type of people you want to interact with. Include numbers that are significant to you. Make it memorable. Avoid including any personal information in your username.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Creating the Perfect Personal Username

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1
Consider your hobbies, skills, or interests. You can draw upon your interests, hobbies, and skills to find a unique username that accurately represents you and your personality. Consider the following questions:
- Do you have any unique hobbies or skills? Maybe you are a musician or an artists. You can create a username that references your skills. For example, "DungeonMasterDave" or "A_Guy_And_His_Guitar."
- What are you interested in? Do you like to talk about news and politics? Do you like anime? Coming up with a username that references something you are interested in is a good way to let people know what you like to talk about in advance. For example, "DantheNewsDude", or "Anime_Steve."
- Are there any books, movies, video games, or characters you like? You can create a username that references one of your favorite characters or something from one of your favorite stories. For example, "Bluecollar_Batman" or "MarinafromMordor."
- Do you have any special skills? If you plan on using your username for business purposes, you may want to reference your professional skills. For example, "NursePatty" or "DavetheElectricMan."
2
Think about who you want to reach. When creating a unique username for gaming or social media, think about the type of people you want to interact with.
- What is the age group? You may want to think of something that references the slang or interests of the people from your specific age group.
- Do they share your interests or hobbies? If so, you may want to come up with a name that references the interests of the people you are communicating with. For example, "Death_Metal_Daddy."
- Are they part of a specific group or subculture? How do you like to identify? Do you consider yourself alt or goth? Do you have a specific political affiliation? Maybe you are a member of the LGBTQ community. Maybe you consider yourself a gamer. Find a username that signals your identity. For example, "Vampy_Kitten" or "EmoJerry."
- Do you have any special knowledge you'd like to share with people? Maybe you're a medical doctor or a lawyer who likes to share your perspective online. Perhaps you read a lot about history. If there is something you talk a lot about, you should consider finding a username that signals that you are knowledgeable about a specific subject. For example, "Dan_the_MD" or "LegalMommy."
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3
Highlight an odd habit or interest that sets you apart. Like most people, you probably have one or two interests, traits, feelings, or habits that your friends and family attribute to you. These are things that set you apart from the bulk of the population. You can draw upon these as a basis for a good username.
- For example, mention a favorite thing like “agirlandherpinkhat” or “rileylovesmacaroni.”
- For a “Discord” account that only your friends will see, you can poke fun at yourself for a personality trait or tendency like “jasonisatitagain.”
- If you’re obsessed with kumquats, you might pick something like “kumquatkate.”
4
Pair one of your favorite things or interests with a descriptive adjective.^{[1]
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Research source} Create two columns on a sheet of paper. In the left column, write down a list of adjectives (funny, lazy, spunky, sarcastic, etc.) that you’d use to describe yourself. In the right column, jot down a list of things you enjoy, like your favorite activities, favorite animals, and your number-one dessert choice. Then, combine one choice from each column until you find a pairing you really like!
- You’ll often find usernames that derive from this "adjective-noun" formula—for instance, "DeviousChinchilla" or "AggravatedCremeBrulee.” So, while the formula itself isn’t unique, the combination you come up with can be.
- When in doubt, add the adjective “official,” “real,” or “just” in front of your username to create something like “justmartinmckenna” or “officiallizardcollector.”
5
Build a play on words from your first name. Consider trying things like rhymes, such as "dennisthemenace” or “SillyLily.” Or, use alliteration like "meticulousmathilda" or “PensivePenny.”
- If you’d prefer not to use your first name, try your middle name or a nickname!
- Try taking inspiration from some of your favorite influencers. See what their usernames are and what they did to come up with their username. If you're not sure what their username means, reach out and ask.
6
Combine two or more of your favorite things. Brainstorm a list of your favorite things, then smash two or three of them together into a username. You can create absurd, nonsensical usernames in this way, which increases the chances of having a one-of-a-kind username.
- For example, if you like pandas and orcas, you might make your username "WhalePanda." Or, if you’d like a more edgy username, you might try "KillerPanda.”
- Try using two favorites from different categories. For instance, if you love ice hockey and creating art out of scrap metal, you might become “IceWelder.”
7
Add a memorable number to your favorite pastime. Making a username out of what you love to do will not only make it easy to remember, it will make it uniquely personal. You’ll probably have to tack on a number, though, since there are a lot of usernames with things like “swimmer” or “beautyguru” in them.
- One way to do this is to use your pastime in conjunction with your birth year—for example, "jennyrockclimber86" or "fictionauthor91."
- If you’d prefer not to use your birth year for privacy or security purposes, choose another memorable set of digits. For instance, if you’ll always remember that you did your first stand-up comedy routine in 2014, you might become “OpenMic14.”
8
Make sure your prospective username conveys the right tone. You might want to convey humor or silliness in your username, or you might want to inspire a darker, more visceral reaction. Keep this in mind as you come up with possible usernames since one of the first things people notice about your profile will be your name!^{[2]
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- For example, a silly username for a writer might be "CaffeinatedPenFiend," while a more intense username could be something like "InkandFire.”
Don't make your username too complicated. Make it snappy and something easy for people to remember.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Picking a Unique Brand Username

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1
Choose a username close to your real name or brand name. Using your real name or your business’s name will make it easy for potential employers, sponsors, and customers to find you. If your real name is taken, use underscores or add initials.
- For example, if “southhamptonbakery” is taken, choose “southhampton_bakery.”
- If your full name is taken, add a middle initial. For example, “mackenziejohnson” would become “mackenzieTjohnson.”
- Keep it simple, and if possible, limit the amount of special characters and numbers you use.^{[3]
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2
Include keywords related to your brand or industry. According to Canalichio, adding keywords is crucial because it makes your username more searchable. Check out competitor brands and search popular hashtags for inspiration on keywords you should include.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Pete Canalichio
Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert

Expert Interview. 2 February 2023.}
- If you run a skincare business, you might pick “Mollys_natural_skincare.”
- If you’re a freelance designer, you could use something like “JamieKerrDesigns.”
3
Add your business’s location to your username. Put your country, state, or city at the end of your username to help you get noticed by potential customers who might be nearby.^{[5]
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Research source} If you’re a big brand, use your country’s name, but if you’re a small business, use your city name.
- For instance, if you’re a food blogger, you might choose a name like “SamanthaEatsNYC” or “TheFoodieInTallahassee.”
4
Put your job title in your username. This option works particularly well if you run your own business or do freelance work.^{[6]
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Research source} As you comment and like other people’s posts, potential customers will be able to immediately see what you do.
- You can put the title at the front of your username, like “CoachKendra24” or “ChefRodneyPeele.”
- If it doesn’t feel as natural to put the title at the beginning, put it at the end. For instance, “AlexGillPhotography,” “ReneeBlockAttorney,” or “EdwardDSharpPlumbing.”^{[7]
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5
Use the same brand username across all your social media platforms. As you create a brand, you want users to be able to find you on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, your business website, and more. According to Canalichio, keeping your username as consistent as possible makes it easy for people to identify and remember your brand.^{[8]
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Expert Source

Pete Canalichio
Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert

Expert Interview. 2 February 2023.}
- If you can’t have exactly the same username, try to get as close as possible by adding a number or city name to the end of the username.
- That way, if people start to search the first parts of your username they remember, they’ll be more likely to actually find you than if you completely change the name.
EXPERT TIP

Pete Canalichio
Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert
Pete Canalichio is a Brand Strategist, Licensing Expert, and Founder of BrandAlive. With nearly 30 years of experience at companies such as Coca-Cola and Newell Brands, he specializes in helping brands find the most authentic parts of their story to build a brand strategy. Pete holds an MBA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a BS in Physics from the United States Naval Academy. In 2006, he won an MVP Award from Newell Brands for his contributions to their Global Licensing department. He’s also penned the award-winning book, Expand, Grow, Thrive.

Pete Canalichio
Brand Strategist & Licensing Expert

Use the same brand username across all your social media platforms. You have to articulate your brand identity with ruthless consistency. You cannot ever deviate from what your brand stands for and what it looks like visually.

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Trying a Username Generator

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1
Try different generators to find your favorite. There are many websites that offer username generators. Popular options include Jimpix, BestRandoms, and Screen Name Creator, to name but a few. Give several a try and see what you think of the results!
- The remainder of this section will walk you through using a common username generator, SpinXO. This site lets you plug in various words and traits to come up with a unique username and then tests your selected username for uniqueness.
- This is not an endorsement of SpinXO, however. It’s just a representative example of the general process you’ll follow if you use a username generator.
2
Answer questions about yourself to generate username options. At the top of the SpinXO page, fill out one or more of the following fields:^{[9]
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- Name or Nickname - Your name or a common nickname.
- What are you like? - Enter any word or phrase here.
- Hobbies? - Add a word or two for your favorite hobby.
- Things you Like - List one or a few different things that you like.
- Important Words? - Add one or two words that you enjoy.
- Numbers? - Add one or two numbers that you enjoy.
It's an orange button to the right of the text fields. This will generate a list of 30 possible usernames based on your provided information.^{[10]
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4
Review the list of username results. In the results section below the text fields, look for a username that you like.
- If you don't like any of the results, you can click SPIN! again to come up with new options.
5
Select a username from the list. Click a username that you'd like to use. This will take you to a page on which Spin XO checks the username for availability on common social media platforms.^{[11]
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- The current platforms it checks are Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, Tumblr, Blogger, PSN, Reddit, and .com domains.
- Other username generator sites may check other platforms, so try a few of them out as well.
6
Review the username's availability. Look at the "Username Availability" section. If you see "Available" to the right of all the listed social media platforms, your name is unique.
- If you want to edit the username and check again, you can do so by changing or adding onto the username in the text box at the top of the page, then clicking Check below the text box.
You don't have to go with the username a generator recommends—you can modify or alter it to your liking. Use a generator for suggestions and a place to start. Then make it your own thing.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Prioritizing Username Security

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1
Decide on your privacy level. Think about what information you want to keep private and what information you are okay with being public.
- Are you comfortable using your first and last name? If you have a common first name, using it in your username may not be that big of a deal. Using your first and last name together makes it easier for someone to look you up and learn more about you. If you really want to protect your privacy, you may want to avoid using your name altogether. Try using a pseudonym instead.
- Do you want your job or occupation to be known? Things that you discuss online can reflect poorly on your employer as well as yourself. If you are known for discussing controversial topics, you may want to keep your employment and occupation private.
- Do you want people to know about your spouse or kids? If both you and your spouse are active online, you may feel more comfortable talking about your spouse online and including them in your profile. However, it's best to avoid including pictures of your children or letting it be known that you have children. Especially if your children are minors. You may want to avoid using terms like "Mom," "Dad," or "Grandma" in your username.
- Do you want to be completely anonymous? If you want to be completely anonymous, you should avoid using your name, occupation, and location in any part of your username. Find a username that is conspicuous and doesn't reveal any information about you. You may also want to think twice about using your face in your profile pictures.
The trick is to find a username that expresses your interests or hobbies without giving away any information you want to keep private.
3
Consider creating different account types with different purposes. Maybe you like to talk politics or have a lifestyle your friends and family don't know about. Consider making separate accounts for different purposes.
- You can make one account that is used to stay in touch with friends and family, and a separate anonymous account for expressing other aspects of yourself you don't want them to know about. You can use different social media platforms or create separate accounts on the same social media platform.
4
Choose as many different usernames as you can comfortably manage. Using the same username on all platforms makes it easier for people to find you. However, using a different username maximizes security. This prevents hackers from using a “cascade effect” attack once they gain access to one of your accounts.^{[12]
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- According to Oppido, you should utilize a password manager service for maximum security. Password managers produce completely randomized usernames and passwords for you and store them in a secure vault. When you need to log in, you can just copy and paste them from your password manager. LastPass is one well-known option.^{[13]
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  Expert Source
  
  Luigi Oppido
  Computer & Tech Specialist
  
  Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.}
- In a “cascade effect” attack, a hacker uses info gained from one account to guess their way into other accounts.
- At the very least, you should use a different username for different account types. If you have a private account for friends and family, you can use your name or a part of your name. If you are using a separate public account for other purposes, you should choose a different username that doesn't reveal your private information.
EXPERT TIP

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist
Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Try to avoid using the same username and password combination. If a hacker breaks into one of your accounts, they can access all accounts with the same password.
5
Use your full name only as needed in a professional context. You might think that using “JohnDWood” as a username isn’t very revealing, but a dedicated hacker may be able to track down more detailed info about you just by knowing your name.
- In non-professional categories, don’t use your full name or the name you go by.
6
Don’t use numbers from your address, phone number, or Social Security number. Adding numbers is an easy way to make a username unique, but don’t give hackers any type of head start by giving away even a small amount of personal information. According to Oppido, just a few digits from a phone number or Social Security number (or similar government identification number) allows a skilled hacker to figure out key info about you.^{[14]
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Expert Source

Luigi Oppido
Computer & Tech Specialist

Expert Interview. 31 July 2019.}
- Ideally, you shouldn’t use the day or year you were born. Definitely don’t use your entire birthdate—for example, “JohnSmith112483.”
- Instead, use a number that’s less revealing but still meaningful to you, like your age when you had your first kiss, your finishing time in your first marathon, or your grandparents’ house number.
7
Don’t use your email address as your username elsewhere. For example, if your email address is “SteadyFreddy429@whmail.com,” don’t use “SteadyFreddy429” as your username for your gaming, banking, or other accounts. Keep your email name unique from any usernames.
- This is another simple way to make things a bit more difficult for hackers.

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What’s a good username to use that’s something to do with fire?

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This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

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Staff Answer

If you like to write, you could try something like "InkandFire" or "FirePen."

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How can I know that my username is really good?

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If you enjoy or find the sound of a username to be interesting, go for it. If you're not sure, either try another one or ask someone you know and trust for their honest opinion on the username.

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What does it mean by user ID should consist of a-z,A-Z,0-9 and underscores, and should be a maximum 20 characters long?

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It means that you can use any combination of numbers, capital letters, lowercase letters, and underscores (this: _ ) in your username, and your username cannot be longer than 20 characters. Characters are numbers, letters, and symbols.

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Try to create a unique username that is simple and easy to remember.

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Although numbers placed at the end of your username will technically make the username more unique, try to avoid this technique if you want your username to be memorable to others.

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

Ask your family and friends for help. Since they know you best, they may have a fun idea for a word or phrase that encapsulates you.
Websites like usersearch.org and namechk.com will search for users who are already using the username you want.
Input any potential usernames in a name checker or domain checker to make sure no one else is using it.

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