username

username — noun

1. a unique set of letters, numbers, or other characters that identifies you on a c

1.nounB1
Definition

a unique set of letters, numbers, or other characters that identifies you on a computer, website, or app and is usually entered together with a password to gain access.

Example

Allison chose the username 'bookworm_2024' when she joined the online reading club.

choose [possessive] username [specific_example] when joining [service]

If you forget your username, the website can send a reminder to your email address.

conditional: if you forget [item], [system] can [action] to [location]

Common collocations
  • choose a username
  • create a username
  • enter your username
  • forget your username
  • type your username
  • pick a username
  • use the same username
  • username and password
Synonyms
  • user ID

    more formal; often used in corporate or academic systems rather than casual websites

  • login name

    emphasises the login function; common in older or professional systems

  • handle

    informal; used mainly on social media, forums, and gaming platforms

  • account name

    focuses on the fact that the username belongs to a specific account

Usage Note

Frequently paired with 'password' as a set phrase ('username and password'). Usernames are often public or visible to others on forums and social media, unlike passwords which must remain private. Some systems treat usernames as case-insensitive, while others distinguish uppercase from lowercase letters.

Common Mistakes

I forgot my password and username, so I clicked the wrong button.' (unclear which one was forgotten).
I forgot my username, so I clicked the 'forgot username' link to retrieve it.
username and password are separate credentials that need different recovery processes.
Please enter your username and email address to log in.' (when the system expects only a username).
Please enter your username and password to log in.
the typical login pair is username + password, not username + email.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

'Username' is the most general and common term across all types of online services. 'User ID' sounds more formal and is typical in corporate databases or academic portals where a number may accompany the name. 'Login name' focuses on the authentication step and is often the exact string you type at a login prompt; it is less common in everyday speech. 'Handle' is informal and reserved for social media, chat rooms, and gaming — it suggests a nickname or alias rather than a formal identifier. 'Account name' overlaps with username but tends to refer to the label of the whole account rather than the credential you type. For example, you tell a friend 'My Instagram handle is @nightowl', but on a bank website you say 'I forgot my username'.

user IDlogin namehandle ↗account name

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • username and password
  • choose a username
  • forgot my username

Prepositions

  • under (a username)
  • with (your username)

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchOld EnglishModern English

A compound word formed from 'user' (someone who operates a system) and 'name' (a word by which someone is known). 'User' comes from Old French 'user' meaning 'to use', tracing back to Latin 'uti'. 'Name' comes from Old English 'nama'. The combined word 'username' entered common use in the 1980s as computer networks and multi-user systems required individual identifiers for each person logging in.