What makes a good username
The best handles are easy to say out loud, easy to spell after hearing them once, and short enough to fit on a business card. If someone hears yours on a podcast, can they find you without asking how it's spelled?
Match it to what you do. Your own name works if you are the brand. A name plus a keyword (maya.ceramics) tells people what to expect before they tap, and helps when they search for the topic.
Think about where you'll be in a few years, too. A handle tied to one product, city or age (maya.at.21) can feel dated quickly, while your name or a broad topic grows with you. Avoid lookalike characters like a lowercase l next to a capital I, and doubled letters at a join (anna.alves), which people often mistype.
Username rules on each platform
The ideas here follow Instagram's rules, the most common set. Other platforms are stricter in different ways:
- Instagram and Threads: up to 30 characters; letters, numbers, periods and underscores; no period at the start or end, and never two in a row.
- TikTok: 2 to 24 characters; letters, numbers, periods and underscores; can't end with a period.
- X: up to 15 characters; letters, numbers and underscores only.
- YouTube handles: 3 to 30 characters; letters, numbers, periods, hyphens and underscores.
- Twitch: 4 to 25 characters; letters, numbers and underscores.
Getting the same name everywhere
One handle across every platform makes you easier to find and to tag. To give yourself the best chance, keep it to 15 characters or fewer and skip periods, since X and Twitch don't allow them. An underscore is the safest separator, or none at all.
If your first choice is taken, try adding a word that says what you do (studio, makes, eats) before reaching for numbers. Random digits look like a placeholder and are hard to remember. If you do use numbers, pick ones that mean something, like the year you started.
Before you commit
Search the name on each platform and on Google to make sure it isn't close to an existing brand. Write it out with the words run together, because some combinations spell something you didn't mean. Then claim it everywhere at once, even on platforms you don't use yet, so it's yours when you need it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find a username that isn't taken?
Make a shortlist here, then open each one's profile on the platform. If the page says the account doesn't exist, it's probably free. The username checker opens the profile on every platform for you from one place.
Can I use periods and underscores in my username?
On Instagram, Threads and TikTok, yes. X and Twitch allow underscores but not periods, and YouTube handles allow both, plus hyphens.
How long should a username be?
Shorter is better. Fifteen characters or fewer fits every major platform, including X, and is easier to say and type.
Should I put numbers in my username?
Only if the plain version is taken and no word works instead. Numbers make a handle harder to remember and can make an account look like spam.
Can I change my Instagram username later?
Yes, in Edit profile. Old links and tags that use your previous handle won't follow you, so update your other profiles, your link-in-bio and anything printed.