Where to find your username if you're already logged in

If you're signed into GitHub in your web browser, your username appears in the top right corner of every page. Click the profile icon (a small circle with your avatar or initials) and your username will be the first line in the dropdown menu that appears. You can also see it in the URL bar when you visit your profile — the address will read github.com/yourusername.

The fastest way is to go directly to github.com/settings/profile. Your username is displayed prominently near the top of the page, next to a field labeled "Name". This is the same username you use to log in, and it's the one other people use to find your profile or mention you in comments.

Key Takeaways

  • Your GitHub username appears in the top right corner when you're logged in, inside the profile dropdown menu.
  • You can see your username in the URL of your profile page, which always follows the pattern github.com/yourusername.
  • The Settings page at github.com/settings/profile displays your username clearly at the top.
  • Your username is case-sensitive when you type it into a URL, but GitHub treats it as case-insensitive when you log in.
  • If you've forgotten your username but remember your email, you can use the login page to recover it.

Finding your username if you're not logged in

If you know the email address associated with your GitHub account but can't remember your username, go to github.com/login and click "Forgot password?" at the bottom of the login form. Enter your email address and GitHub will send you a password reset link. When you click that link, you'll see your username displayed on the page before you set a new password.

Alternatively, if someone has shared a link to your GitHub profile with you, your username is the last part of that URL. For example, if the link is github.com/alice-smith, your username is alice-smith. You can also search for yourself on GitHub's search bar at the top of the page — type your name or email and your profile should appear in the results.

Understanding the difference between username and display name

GitHub has two separate name fields that often confuse people. Your username is what you chose when you created your account — it's permanent, case-sensitive in URLs, and used for logging in. Your display name (or "Name" field) is what appears on your profile and in comments, and you can change it anytime without affecting your username or any links to your profile.

If your display name is "Alice Smith" but your username is "alice-smith", people will see "Alice Smith" on your profile page, but the URL to reach you will always be github.com/alice-smith. When someone mentions you in a comment or issue, they use your username with an @ symbol, like @alice-smith, not your display name.

What to do if you think your username has changed

GitHub usernames do not change on their own. If you changed your username intentionally, you can see when that happened by visiting github.com/settings/account and looking at the "Change username" section. GitHub will tell you when the change was made and what your old username was.

If you changed your username, all your old profile links still work — GitHub automatically redirects github.com/oldusername to github.com/newusername for up to one year. After that, the old username becomes available for someone else to claim. If you're trying to find an old account you used years ago, you may need to search by the email address or display name you remember instead.

Finding someone else's GitHub username

To find another person's GitHub username, visit github.com and use the search bar at the top. Type their name, email, or company name and GitHub will show you matching profiles. Click on the profile you're looking for, and their username is displayed prominently at the top of their profile page and in the URL.

If you're looking for a specific person and search isn't turning up results, try searching for repositories they've contributed to or organizations they're part of. Many developers list their GitHub username on their personal website, LinkedIn profile, or in email signatures, which can be faster than searching GitHub directly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my GitHub username?

Yes. Go to github.com/settings/account and scroll to "Change username". Type your new username and click "Change username" to confirm. GitHub keeps your old username redirecting to your new one for one year, so old links still work during that time.

Is my GitHub username the same as my login email?

No. Your username and email are separate. You log in with either your username or your email address, but they're not the same thing. You can change your email address without changing your username, and vice versa.

What characters can I use in my GitHub username?

GitHub usernames can contain letters, numbers, hyphens, and underscores. They must start with a letter or number, be between 1 and 39 characters long, and cannot end with a hyphen. Usernames are case-insensitive when you log in, but they are case-sensitive in URLs.

Why does my username look different on my profile than in the URL?

You're seeing your display name on the profile page and your username in the URL. These are two different fields. Your display name can have spaces and special characters, while your username follows stricter rules and is what appears in the URL.

Can I see a list of all my GitHub usernames if I've had multiple accounts?

GitHub doesn't provide a list of all accounts you've created. If you have multiple accounts, you'll need to remember the email address for each one and log in separately. You can then check the username for each account in the settings.