Where to look for your GitHub username

Your GitHub username appears in the top right corner of any page when you are signed in. Click your profile picture or avatar — it is the small circle or image in the upper right. A dropdown menu opens, and your username is listed right there, usually as the first item or under a "Signed in as" label.

If you are not signed in, go to github.com and sign in with the email address you used when you created your account. Once you are logged in, that same profile picture dropdown will show your username when ready.

Your username also appears in your profile URL. When you visit your own profile page, the web address looks like github.com/yourusername. Whatever comes after the final slash is your username — that is the exact name you use to log in and the name other people use to mention you or find your repositories.

Key Takeaways

  • Your GitHub username is visible in the top right corner dropdown menu when you are signed in.
  • Your username appears in your profile URL as github.com/yourusername.
  • If you forgot your username, you can recover it by signing in with the email address you registered with.
  • Your username is different from your display name — the username is what you use to log in, while the display name is what appears on your profile card.

Checking your profile settings

Click your profile picture in the top right, then select "Settings" from the dropdown menu. On the Settings page, look for the "Account" section on the left sidebar. Your username is displayed prominently near the top of the Account page, and you cannot change it after your account is created.

The Settings page also shows your email address, the date you joined GitHub, and other account details. This is the official place GitHub displays your account information, so if you see your username here, that is your definitive GitHub username.

The difference between username and display name

GitHub lets you set a display name that is separate from your username. Your username is permanent and is what you use to sign in — it appears in your profile URL and in code commits. Your display name is what shows on your profile card and in comments, and you can change it anytime.

If you see a name on your profile that does not match what you expected, check the Settings page to see both. The username is the one that matters for logging in and for how other people reference you in code or pull requests.

Finding your username if you forgot it

If you cannot remember your username, go to github.com/login and enter the email address you used to create your account. GitHub will send you a password reset link. Once you reset your password and sign in, your username will be visible in the top right dropdown menu and in your Settings page.

You can also check any repositories you created or any comments you left before you forgot your username — your username appears as the author on those items. Look at the URL of a repository you know you created: it will be github.com/yourusername/repository-name.

Viewing your username on your profile page

Navigate to your own profile by clicking your avatar in the top right and selecting "Your profile" from the dropdown. Your username appears at the top of the profile page, usually displayed prominently with an @ symbol in front of it, like @yourusername. This is the public-facing version of your profile that other people see when they visit your account.

Your profile page also shows your repositories, contributions, followers, and any bio or location information you have added. The username at the top is the official identifier for your account across all of GitHub.

Using your username in GitHub

Once you know your username, you use it to share your profile with others — they can visit github.com/yourusername to see your public repositories and activity. You also use your username when you clone repositories using SSH, when you mention someone in a comment or pull request using the @ symbol, and when you set up Git on your computer.

Your username is case-sensitive in some contexts but not others. GitHub treats usernames as case-insensitive for signing in, but the URL and display may use the capitalization you chose. If your username is JamesRodriguez, you can sign in as jamesrodriguez, but the profile URL will show github.com/JamesRodriguez.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my GitHub username?

GitHub allows you to change your username once, but doing so will break any old links to your profile and repositories. If you change it, old URLs will redirect for a short time, but it is not permanent. Most people keep their original username to avoid confusion.

Is my GitHub username the same as my email address?

No. Your username and email address are separate. You sign in with either your username or your email address, but they are not the same thing. Your email is private by default, while your username is public and appears on your profile and in your repositories.

What if I see a different name on my profile than I expected?

You may have set a display name that is different from your username. Check your Settings page under Account to see both. Your username is the one in the Account section; your display name is in the Profile section and can be changed anytime.

Where does my username appear when I commit code?

Your username appears as the author of commits when you push code to GitHub, but only if you have configured Git with your GitHub account. The commits show your username in the commit history and on the repository page, so other people know who made each change.