# Can I have an old username? **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [June 18, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662 "2003-06-18T07:57:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/1 "2003-06-18T07:57:42Z")
The guy who registered as Aslan only posted once, the day after he registered and that was almost a year ago. I’m wondering if I can get my name changed to Aslan, because the guy who has that name is inactive. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 9:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/2 "2003-06-18T09:36:12Z")
Very doubtful. To do that would possibly involve deleting **Aslan’s** name – and [they don’t do that here.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=161080) ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/3 "2003-06-18T14:54:29Z")
**Ice Wolf** is correct. Two wenches took the names **Katie Scarlett** and **Scarlett** and then left after only a few posts. So here I am. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/4 "2003-06-18T20:23:02Z")
Sure you can get an old username! All you have to do is stick around for a few years, and presto! Your username is old! ---
**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:** [June 20, 2003, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/5 "2003-06-20T12:16:49Z")
We don’t recycle user names. Sorry. your humble TubaDiva Administrator ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/6 "2003-06-20T12:31:51Z")
Hey, **Tuba** , don’t be so fast! I mean, if the price was right…? We could buy a new server, take all the Mods to a Conference in the Bahamas… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/7 "2003-06-20T13:13:00Z")
Yeah, when I came here I wanted the name “a²+b²=c²”, but someone registered it, and a search turns up no posts whatsoever. Guy probably didn’t even answer the confirmation email. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/8 "2003-06-20T14:13:02Z")
Why have an old username when there are so many nice, shiny new ones available? ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/9 "2003-06-20T14:18:51Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Man With The Golden Gun \* > \*\*Yeah, when I came here I wanted the name “a²+b²=c²”, but someone registered it, and a search turns up no posts whatsoever. Guy probably didn’t even answer the confirmation email. \*\* Why not register “c²=a²+b²” instead? Mathematically, it’s identical, but it’s still a unique username. 😃 Can you even do exponents in a name? ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/10 "2003-06-20T14:23:01Z")
Perhaps… Atomic Aslan Racing? Aslan, now powered by atomic energy, because God’s love just isn’t as efficient! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@The\_Man\_With\_The\_Golden\_Gun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Man_With_The_Golden_Gun)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/11 "2003-06-20T15:18:27Z")
Q.E.D, I think so, because someone registered a²+b²=c². Also, there’s a poster named “Deep Fried” with all sorts of special characters, so I see no reason you can’t do exponents. c²=a²+b². I’m going to be kicking myself all day for not thinking of that. ---
**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/12 "2003-06-20T15:30:15Z")
There’s an easy answer to that, **The Man With The Golden Gun** - just ask for a name change. Send e-mails to **Dex, Tuba, Lynn** and **Arnold** asking for the change. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/13 "2003-06-20T19:52:35Z")
**Aslan2** , have you tried any other combinations? Say, **Aslan of Narnia**? **Aslan Returns**? ---
**Author:** ![Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecd19e/32.png) [@Aslan\_of\_Narnia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aslan_of_Narnia)\ **Post date:** [June 20, 2003, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/14 "2003-06-20T19:59:18Z")
I don’t know what to choose. I think I’ll start a poll in IMHO, because I cannot think of anything. I’ll add your suggestions for possibilities. ---
**Author:** ![Irishman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/b487fb/32.png) [@Irishman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Irishman)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/15 "2003-06-21T03:27:56Z")
All you have to do is email **Aslan** and ask him to send an email to the mods/admins requesting a name change for him - say **I’m no longer Aslan**. Then you request a name change to **Aslan** , since that name is no longer taken. 😉 (I have no idea if this would be acceptable, but can’t think of a reason why it shouldn’t be.) ---
**Author:** ![Durabrite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/58956e/32.png) [@Durabrite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Durabrite)\ **Post date:** [June 21, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-i-have-an-old-username/182662/16 "2003-06-21T14:19:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ice Wolf \* > \*\ ***Aslan2** , have you tried any other combinations? Say, **Aslan of Narnia**? **Aslan Returns**? \*\* If you’re going for a new name, why not start fresh. Say, **WalterMondale2 of Narnia Returns** 😛