# Is it possible to reuse banned names?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [December 14, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731 "2002-12-14T14:58:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731/1 "2002-12-14T14:58:49Z")

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This question crossed my mind the other day, so like any good Doper, I did a Boardreader search to see if this has been discussed before. It hasn’t, although I didn’t paw through all 2,000+ results to find out. So my question: If someone registered on the board with the name of someone who’s been banned (like **Satan** or **BZ0000** ) would that person be allowed to use that name or would they be asked to change it?

(Disclaimer: I am not thinking about changing my name to a banned posters name, nor am I advocating that anyone sign up with a banned poster’s name. This is just a simple question that was on my mind.)

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**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731/2 "2002-12-14T15:36:33Z")

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It would not be allowed. There’s just too much opportunity for confusion.

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**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731/3 "2002-12-14T16:16:20Z")

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Ah. Thank you. My ignorance has been fought and conquered.

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**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\
**Post date:** [December 14, 2002, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731/4 "2002-12-14T17:05:54Z")

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The names are still in the database as “in use”, aren’t they? There can only be one person with one name, and even if they are banned, that name is still there, and still theirs.

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**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\
**Post date:** [December 15, 2002, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-possible-to-reuse-banned-names/142731/5 "2002-12-15T20:30:52Z")

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Yeah, **mnemosyne** ’s right. It would be impossible to register with a banned poster’s name. Banned posters aren’t gone, they’re “BANNED,” “Banned,” or whatever.