# If I change my User Name... **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [January 19, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723 "2006-01-19T21:49:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**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:** [January 24, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/21 "2006-01-24T15:04:08Z")
Then all sorts of folks would be making jokes about “I Love Lucifer.” Naw, stick to what you got, that’s my opinion. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/22 "2006-01-24T15:13:47Z")
> [@C K Dexter Haven](#): > > Then all sorts of folks would be making jokes about “I Love Lucifer.” Naw, stick to what you got, that’s my opinion. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Uncommon\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Uncommon\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uncommon_Sense)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/23 "2006-01-24T15:37:22Z")
> [@TubaDiva](#): > > Whatever new name you are considering, if someone else has posted with that name, you can’t use it. It’s taken already. > > TubaDiva Ok, this condradicts what **Dex** said in the second post. He said someone _could_ sign up as Winston Smith, and now you’ve stated that no-one could sign up as Winston Smith because someone has clearly posted under that username. What gives? ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/24 "2006-01-24T16:04:04Z")
> [@Uncommon Sense](#): > > Ok, this condradicts what **Dex** said in the second post. > He said someone _could_ sign up as Winston Smith, and now you’ve stated that no-one could sign up as Winston Smith because someone has clearly posted under that username. > What gives? I think what **Dex** and **Tuba** are saying is that _accomodations can be made, depending on circumstances_. If, for instance, I wanted to change my user name to _ **Lucifer** _. The user name was registered in 2003, but only as a guest, and has but one lone post associated with it. I get the impression that if I _really_ wanted to change to that user name, they would let me, but also keep _ **Winston Smith** _ reserved, as I am at least a _somewhat_ recognizable poster. I think if I wanted to change my name to _ **Satan** _ it would be a different story. I think a newbie suddenly posting as _ **Winston Smith** _ would cause a bit of confusion. Does that about sum it up? ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/25 "2006-01-24T16:05:46Z")
Yes ---
**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:** [January 24, 2006, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/26 "2006-01-24T18:48:03Z")
I think he’s got it! TubaDiva ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/27 "2006-01-24T19:06:27Z")
> [@Winston Smith](#): > > … If, for instance, I wanted to change my user name to _ **Lucifer** _. The user name was registered in 2003, but only as a guest, and has but one lone post associated with it. I was under the impression that it was impossible to see a list of members. Am I wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/28 "2006-01-24T19:09:01Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > I was under the impression that it was impossible to see a list of members. Am I wrong? My Search-Fu is formidable. (You can search by user name) ---
**Author:** ![fortytwo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f9ae1b/32.png) [@fortytwo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fortytwo)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/29 "2006-01-24T23:14:32Z")
> [@Winston Smith](#): > > My Search-Fu is formidable. (You can search by user name) I get it now, I just never thought of that. :o My lack of imagination has prevented me from a scintillating career as an obscenely rich advertising executive. To tell the truth though I was thinking about how useful it would be to be able to choose an unused username as a guest and not having a search facility. ---
**Author:** ![Winston\_Smith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e95f7d/32.png) [@Winston\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Winston_Smith)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2006, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723/30 "2006-01-24T23:19:55Z")
> [@Vetch](#): > > My lack of imagination has prevented me from a scintillating career as an obscenely rich advertising executive. Me too, but my anal-retentive attention to detail has garnered a fair bit of success in the field of high tech. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-i-change-my-user-name/340723.md?page=1)