Name checker: is your name free as a username and domain?

How this name checker works

When you enter a name, two checks run at once. The domain check asks the public registry data (RDAP) for .com, .net, .org, .io, .us, .app and .dev whether the name is registered. The username check looks for a public profile with that exact name on 24 widely used platforms. Where no profile answers, the name shows as Available; where one does, it shows as Taken, with a link so you can see who has it. Sites that block automated checks or give unclear answers show as Check by hand.

The quick check covers the platforms most brands claim first. For everything else, from niche forums to code hosts and marketplaces, use the button to run the same name across all 3,166 sites. Our platform username checkers go deeper on one site at a time, including each platform's rules for length and characters.

Choosing a name that works everywhere

Aim for consistency

Ideally you can use the same brand name, unchanged, on every platform and as a domain. People remember and search for one consistent handle more easily, and impersonators have less room to work. If the exact name is gone on one key platform, prefer a small, predictable change you can use everywhere (such as adding “hq”, “app” or “team”) over a different variant on every site.

Keep it short and plain

Platforms set different limits. Some cap usernames at 15 characters, others allow 30 or more, and many reject dots, hyphens or repeated underscores. A name of roughly 6 to 15 letters with no special characters fits almost everywhere. Avoid swapping letters for numbers, double letters at word boundaries and spellings people will get wrong when they hear the name said aloud.

Make it a valid domain

Domain names allow only letters, digits and hyphens, so a name with an underscore or a dot cannot match your domain exactly. If a domain matters to you, pick a name that works as both. The name checker tells you when a name can't be a domain at all.

Compare a few candidates

Your first choice will rarely be free everywhere. Shortlist three to five names and run each through the name checker. Score them on how many key platforms and domains are available, how easy they are to spell after hearing them once, and whether they still make sense if your business grows beyond its first product. A name that is free on your top platforms and as a .com usually beats a cleverer one you would have to compromise on everywhere. To compare several handles across every site at once, the full search takes up to five usernames in one go.

Check trademarks before you commit

Username and domain availability say nothing about whether you have the right to use a name. Before you invest in a logo, packaging or ads, search the USPTO trademark search for identical and similar marks in your field, and check the trademark registers of any other country you sell in. A registered mark in your industry can force a rebrand later, however many handles you hold. For an important brand, a short consultation with a trademark attorney is worth paying for.

Secure the name early

• Claim handles as soon as you decide. Popular names disappear quickly, and squatters watch for new brands. Register the domain and the core platforms the same day.
• Prioritize where your audience is. Start with the platforms you will actually use, then add the rest.
• Make defensive registrations. Hold obvious variants and common misspellings on your main platforms, and consider the .com plus one or two other domains, so nobody can impersonate you with a near-identical name.
• Fill in the profiles. Add your logo, a short bio and a link to your site. An empty account looks abandoned and some platforms reclaim inactive names.
• Secure the accounts. Use a shared password manager and two-factor authentication, and keep the recovery email on a domain you control.
• Check again later. Re-run the name checker from time to time to spot new look-alike accounts.

Our posts on protecting a brand name on social media and choosing a unique username cover these steps in more depth.

When a name is taken

A Taken result doesn't have to end the search. Open the profile: an inactive or empty account may be released by the platform under its inactive username policy, while an active business on the name is a sign to look elsewhere. Never try to buy or pressure your way into an account, and if someone is using your registered trademark to impersonate you, use the platform's trademark or impersonation report form. To see how other people use the same handle across the web, run a reverse username lookup.

Frequently asked questions

Related tools and guides

• Digital footprint checker
• Reverse username lookup
• OSINT username search
• Email checker
• How to check if a username is taken
• Protect your brand name on social media
• How to choose a unique username
• Namechk, KnowEm and Instant Username alternatives
• Search a username on every site · Platform username checkers · All 3,166 supported sites
• How to read your results · How it works

WhatsMyName Apps is an independent tool, not affiliated with the WhatsMyName project, Sherlock, Maigret or any site it checks.