# Can a name become inactive? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [May 8, 2000, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936 "2000-05-08T18:16:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/1 "2000-05-08T18:16:35Z")
If a user’s name isn’t used for some period of time, does it then become available for someone else to use? Or, is it “Once you’re name is registered, it is taken indefinitely, whether you use it or not?” ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/2 "2000-05-08T18:20:28Z")
If you want to swap, I’ll take yours and we can offer mine to the one you want. Does yours mean anything? If it’s rude in Dutch, the deal’s off. ---
**Author:** ![Soupy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Soupy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soupy)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/3 "2000-05-08T18:33:31Z")
Well, don’t try to take mine! I don’t expect to post a lot, but when I do, I don’t want someone else to be using my name. How could I look up if anyone has responded to my posts since I’d been on vacation? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/4 "2000-05-08T18:33:46Z")
“Mjollnir” (the “j” being pronounced like a “y”) was the name of Thor’s hammer in Norse mythology. It doesn’t translate to “hammer,” though. Its meaning is a little bit murky. It’s close to Russian word for “lightning,” “molniya” and the root “mjoll” is close to some old Teutonic roots meaning “mill” or “grind.” ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/5 "2000-05-08T18:44:53Z")
Wow! Verry classy. Why would you want to give up a winner like that? Exactly what name in Cecil’s attic did you have your name on that would top that? (Don’t worry, you can tell us. That will give you first dibs on it.) And why give up a fat post count? I’d trade for that anytime. Maybe the guy has an old email still enabled and you can write to him for a swap. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/6 "2000-05-08T18:54:17Z")
Actually, I wasn’t personally looking to give up my moniker. I was thinking more of people reusing a name that someone had previously abandoned. Hotmail, for example (I think) inactivates user names that have gone unused for a year. I don’t know if message boards have the option of doing that. ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/7 "2000-05-08T19:10:55Z")
Well, you’re right about Hotmail. My brother got a notice that they wanted you to log in every 30 days! And then he forgot for too long ( because he was using an email at work and had told all his friends). He went back just to collect some old items he’d saved and Poof! They were all gone and a note from Microsoft to that affect was all that remained. Don’t get him started on Bill Gates now! ---
**Author:** ![TubaDiva](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tubadiva/32/507_2.png) [@TubaDiva](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TubaDiva)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/8 "2000-05-08T20:42:45Z")
We prefer screen names not be recycled. Once a name is yours, it’s yours forever – or until you decide you want to change it. But once discarded, we prefer it not be passed on to someone else, it’s too confusing. your humble TubaDiva Administrator Once is usually enough and in some cases, more than enough. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/9 "2000-05-08T20:59:54Z")
> [@](#): > > Once is usually enough and in some cases, more than enough. Truer words were never spoken. –Had enough, yet?– UncleBeer ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2000, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-a-name-become-inactive/18936/10 "2000-05-08T23:01:43Z")
Mjollnir - I found a good old name for you. But it must be wrong. Go here and see who’s a “Guest”. Good for a laugh, but hard to figure. \*\* [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=199](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=199) \*\*