How We Choose, Test and Re-Check the Sites We Search

A username search is only as good as its site list. A broken rule either says a profile exists when it doesn't, or misses one that does. This page explains how we build and maintain the list behind the WhatsMyName Apps username search, so you can judge how far to trust a result.

Our own engine

Every check runs on the FreeUsername™ engine, which we designed and built ourselves. It has its own site list and its own detection rules. In version 0.0.2 we removed all third-party site lists and detection data from the website. The list currently covers 3,450+ sites, and you can browse all of them on the supported sites page.

How a site gets added

We add sites where a public profile lives at a predictable address, such as a page that includes the username in the URL. Each site is tagged with a category, like social, video, coding or gaming, and a tier: major platforms, niche sites and smaller forums. The tier sets the order results stream in, so the best-known sites show up first.

How each rule is tested

1. We write a detection rule for the site: what an existing profile looks like and what a missing one looks like.
2. We test the rule against a real, known account. It must come back Found.
3. We test it against a made-up name nobody would register. It must come back Not found.
4. If either test fails, the site doesn't go live until the rule is fixed.

When a site changes its pages, we update the rule. We don't copy site lists or detection rules from other projects.

Nightly checks

Sites change without warning. Our tools re-check the list every night, and a site that fails is hidden automatically until it works again. That keeps broken rules out of your results, at the cost of a site sometimes disappearing for a few days.

The four statuses

• Found: the site returned what looks like an existing public profile.
• Not found: the response matched the pattern for a missing profile.
• Blocked: the site refused or rate-limited the request, so there is no answer.
• Unknown: the response didn't clearly match either pattern, for example after a timeout.

Tools that only show "available" or "taken" hide the Blocked and Unknown cases, which can make a name look free when it isn't. For Found results we also show the public display name, avatar and bio when the site makes them available, so you can check the profile yourself.

What can still go wrong

A rule can lag behind a site redesign between nightly checks, so false positives and missed profiles still happen. A Found result means a profile with that name exists, not who owns it. If you spot a wrong result, use the report link on that result. The how it works page and our editorial policy cover the rest.

What we don't keep

The username you type is sent to our server only to run the check. It is not stored or logged, and there is no sign-up.

FAQ

Why did a site disappear from my results?

Most likely it failed a nightly check and was hidden until its rule works again.

Can I suggest a site?

Yes. Send it through the contact page. We add it only after it passes the tests above.

Is this related to the WhatsMyName project?

No. WhatsMyName Apps is not affiliated with or endorsed by the WhatsMyName project. Our search runs on our own engine.

A note on responsible use

Results are leads to verify, not facts about a person. WhatsMyName Apps is not a consumer reporting agency, and its results must not be used for decisions about employment, credit, housing or insurance.