Wikipedia:Changing username
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 | This page details the guidelines and information relating to changing a username. Do not edit this page to request a username change. Once you have read this information, select an appropriate request page to submit your request. |
 | This is an information page. It is not an encyclopedic article, nor one of Wikipedia's policies or guidelines; rather, its purpose is to explain certain aspects of Wikipedia's norms, customs, technicalities, or practices. It may reflect differing levels of consensus and vetting. |
Before requesting a username change (rename), please read through the § Must read section to know the limitations and alternatives.
If the username change is simple and you have a confirmed email address, use Global user account rename request. For other cases, use the appropriate request page listed below.
Usernames are global,[a] and are the same on all Wikimedia projects―Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, etc. Requests to change a username are processed by users enabled to do so (global renamers and stewards) in accordance with the global rename policy.
Requests for usernames which are offensive, promotional, disruptive, misleading, or confusing are not accepted.
Must read
- Your name will be changed to the new one in the page history of every page you've edited, and in all log entries.
- Your user pages, account preferences, and edits will be moved to the new name. Please do not create a new account or attempt to move them yourself.
- Links left by your previous signatures will still point to the old userpage; however, a redirect will be created pointing to your new userpage.
- If the job queue is very busy, it might take a number of hours before the software re-assigns all your contributions to your new name.
- Using your real name as a username may put you at risk of harassment.
Limitations and restrictions
- Accounts cannot be merged or deleted. They can only be renamed.
- It is not possible to re-assign edits identified with an IP address (made while not logged in).
- Usernames are subject to technical restrictions. Specifically, they cannot contain the
# < > [ ] | { } / @ : =characters, and they cannot begin with a lowercase letter. - Underscores and spaces are considered identical by the MediaWiki software, so Jimbo Wales and Jimbo_Wales are considered to be the same username.
- Existing signatures and mentions of the old username in discussions are not affected by a rename.
- Renames appear in the user rename log and global rename log and requests are moved to the archives. This is done in the interest of transparency.
Please consider the following alternatives to a rename
- If you would like your username to begin with a lowercase letter, place {{lowercase title}} on your user and user talk pages, and change your signature to reflect your preference.
- If you simply want to change your "public appearance" on talk pages, you can change your signature. Note that this is not an acceptable alternative to changing your username if the name is in breach of the username policy.
- If you want to retire from Wikipedia, place {{retired}} or a similar declaration on your userpage. A request for a rename to something like RetiredUser123 will be declined. Users in good standing wishing to vanish completely, perhaps by way of a rename to a random character string, are an exception to this rule.
Other things to consider
- Recreation of previously used usernames is prevented by the anti-spoof check to prevent impersonation. Users can request to register old names at Wikipedia:Request an account.
- You may wish to inform others of previous username(s) via a simple statement on your user page, or use of {{user changed username}}.
- If you have customised your signature you will need to alter it to use your new username, otherwise it will remain linked to your old user pages.
Request pages
If you are certain you want to change your username, use the appropriate request page to avoid any delay or rejection.
- Simple renames (confirmed email address required): use the Global user account rename request form.
- Note: to confirm an email address, see Wikipedia:Enabling email and Help:Email confirmation.
- Simple renames (no confirmed email address required): use the Simple account rename request page.
- This page is for renames to usernames that are not already taken. Check the global account information page to see whether the username you want is available. If it is already taken on any Wikimedia project, it is not available for use.
- Renames to taken usernames (with no significant activity): use the Steward requests page.
- This page is for usernames that have no significant edits or log actions on any Wikimedia wiki.
- Requests to vanish from Wikimedia: use the Global vanish request form.
Archives
Completed and rejected requests are archived into one of the pages linked below.
Simple rename requests archives:
- Completed:
- Rejected:
- 2005: Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2006: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2007: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2008: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2009: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2010: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2011: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2012: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2013: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2014: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2015: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2016: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2017: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2018: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2019: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2020: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2021: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2022: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2023: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2024: Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec
- 2025: Jan | Feb
Usurpation requests archives:
- Completed:
|
- Rejected/Not Completed:
|
SUL requests archives:
- Completed:
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- Rejected/Not Completed:
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See also
Footnotes
- ^ Usernames have been global since 2014, when Wikimedia implemented single user login (SUL) over the entirety of Wikimedia projects, including the English Wikipedia.