# Similar User Names **URL:** \ **Category:** About This Message Board\ **Created:** [April 3, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820 "2010-04-03T12:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/1 "2010-04-03T12:44:16Z")
I think this is very much a question with no clear answer. However, I understand that user names can’t be replicated or recycled. What about how similar user names can be? This could be difficult with the software available, but how similar does a user name have to be before it is disallowed? We have had recently Cesario - that was a real treat, being confused with him. Now I see an MTCicero- once again the confusion could occur. (I am not complaining about MTCicero- he/ she obviously has great tastes). Where is the line drawn? ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/2 "2010-04-03T12:56:34Z")
This is purely a guess, but such things are tolerated in CS (or were last I tried one), but I would speculate that as long as one character is added to, removed from, or changed in an already accepted name, the new name is seen as different and thus accepted by the software. I do know there’s a zeldarae, and when I do a vanity search on zeldar, other options appear before I finish typing mine in. I’ll yield to a better, or more nearly official, version, but at least you do have “an answer.” ---
**Author:** ![BlueOhio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/439d5e/32.png) [@BlueOhio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueOhio)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/3 "2010-04-03T13:23:53Z")
When I first joined, I signed up with the user name “Hypnotoad”. I was politely asked to change the user name to something different because of a current user having a very similar name (Hypno-toad). Made perfect sense to me, and I was happy to oblige, but I’m not sure if it was reported or if a mod noticed it, or what. ---
**Author:** ![EvilTOJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee59a6/32.png) [@EvilTOJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EvilTOJ)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/4 "2010-04-03T13:39:35Z")
Weren’t you banned? :dubious: 😛 I would think that anyone with a lot of repeating characters would be run into problems. On one of my other boards we have a mod with the username ollllllo, someone could impersonate him easily adding or subtracting an l. Well, not easily since the big huge MODERATOR sign wouldn’t be there, but you know what I mean. I think there was problems on the Fark forum with someone impersonating “Shut…up” by signing up with a username of “Shut…up” Honestly, the only real answer is to hear from the higher ups. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/5 "2010-04-03T15:13:25Z")
Moved to ATMB from Cafe Society. We try to avoid names that are so similar they’re likely to be confusing, but there’s no objective definition of confusing. If we see a new poster who has almost the same name as someone else we’ll probably ask them to change it. **monster** , **monstre** , and **monstro** are all longtime users here, so it’s not something we deal with very much. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 3, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/6 "2010-04-03T15:26:10Z")
If everybody were wise enough to name themselves Exapno Mapcase, no problems with duplication would ever occur. Wait a minute. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/7 "2010-04-05T21:05:34Z")
> [@Exapno\_Mapcase](#): > > If everybody were wise enough to name themselves Exapno Mapcase, no problems with duplication would ever occur. > > Wait a minute. Would you have a problem with a user named Harpo? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tom\_Tildrum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e95f7d/32.png) [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/8 "2010-04-05T22:07:32Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > Moved to ATMB from Cafe Society. > > We try to avoid names that are so similar they’re likely to be confusing, but there’s no objective definition of confusing. If we see a new poster who has almost the same name as someone else we’ll probably ask them to change it. **monster** , **monstre** , and **monstro** are all longtime users here, so it’s not something we deal with very much. It can crop up unexpectedly. Who would have thought it would be so difficult to keep **Argent Foxtrot** and **Agent Towers** separate, but God help me, it’s impossible. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/9 "2010-04-05T22:13:48Z")
polycarp and iampunha look almost exactly dissimilar. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/10 "2010-04-05T22:17:28Z")
> [@NoClueBoy](#): > > polycarp and iampunha look almost exactly dissimilar. What we really need is a YoBuelCon. ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/11 "2010-04-05T22:52:36Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Would you have a problem with a user named Harpo? 😃 Or **Xapпo Mapkc**? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/12 "2010-04-05T23:48:17Z")
Are we talking about [Adolph Marx, the first Roman Catholic bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brownsville, in Brownsville, Texas.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adolph_Marx_(bishop))? Or his twin, Arthur? 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 5, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/13 "2010-04-05T23:54:24Z")
> [@Rhythmdvl](#): > > Would you have a problem with a user named Harpo? 😃 [That one’s taken.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) > [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > Or **Xapпo Mapkc**? [Sorta taken.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/member.php) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/14 "2010-04-06T00:23:48Z")
Hell, I get confused when I see **Heart of Dorkness** post, and I think, “I don’t remember writing that, but it sure sounds smart!” ---
**Author:** ![Martini\_Enfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/martini_enfield/32/11123_2.png) [@Martini\_Enfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martini_Enfield)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/15 "2010-04-06T04:00:35Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I think this is very much a question with no clear answer. However, I understand that user names can’t be replicated or recycled. > > What about how similar user names can be? This could be difficult with the software available, but how similar does a user name have to be before it is disallowed? I’ve wondered the same thing, actually. Honestly, I thought you’d changed your name to **MTCicero** … also, there’s **Cisco** too, which is quite similar to your username. Obviously it’s a “each situation is different” thing, but seeing as most of the usernames now have “Guest” underneath them with no location readily visible to help differentiate posters with similar names, it might be an issue that bears a little more thinking about. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/16 "2010-04-06T04:08:36Z")
I saw a thread today started by a **Mnem** , who has apparently been here since 2003 but has very few posts. I could see a problem happening if we both started to post in the same thread, given how people tend to shorten my username to **mnem**. I’m not sure it’s worth asking her(?) to change, though. There are other mnem-somethings that show up in search, but most, if not all, don’t post any more. ---
**Author:** ![Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Kimmy\_Gibbler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimmy_Gibbler)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/17 "2010-04-06T11:55:13Z")
Ah, it’s delightful to witness the incubation of another SDMB rule to address an as yet hypothetical situation! We have entirely too few of those! ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/18 "2010-04-06T11:58:48Z")
It’s not a hypothetical situation, though. And there’s no rule being incubated either. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/19 "2010-04-06T13:40:29Z")
Now that we have custom titles, we could use those to address the problem. Cicero could have changed his to “The Non-Kiddy Diddler” or “Only Attracted to Adults since 1973” or whatnot. ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2010, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820/20 "2010-04-06T13:53:13Z")
Serenata67 Sateryn76 and I know there’s one more… Just dissimilar enough to not warrant any warnings… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/similar-user-names/534820.md?page=2)