Your username appears in your GitHub profile URL and account settings

Your GitHub username is the name you chose when you created your account. It shows up in your profile URL (github.com/yourname), in your commit history, and anywhere else you interact with repositories. If you have forgotten it, you can find it by logging into GitHub, checking your profile settings, or looking at any repository you have worked on.

The fastest route is to log in to GitHub and look at the top right corner of the page. Your username appears there, often next to your profile picture. If you are already logged in but cannot remember your username, the methods below will show you exactly where to look.

Key Takeaways

  • Your GitHub username is visible in the top right corner of any GitHub page when you are logged in.
  • You can find your username in your profile settings by clicking your profile picture and selecting "Settings".
  • Any commit you made shows your username in the commit history, so you can search your own repositories to find it.
  • Your username is part of your profile URL, which follows the pattern github.com/yourusername.

Check the top right corner when logged in

The simplest way to find your username is to log into GitHub and look at the top right corner of the page. You will see your profile picture or avatar next to a dropdown menu. Click on it, and your username appears at the top of the menu that opens.

This works on any GitHub page — your dashboard, a repository, or a pull request. The username shown is always your account username, not a display name. If you see a different name displayed on your profile, that is your display name, but your actual username is what appears in the dropdown menu.

Look in your account settings

To find your username through settings, log into GitHub and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Settings" from the dropdown menu. On the left side of the page, click "Account" (or sometimes labeled as "Profile" depending on your GitHub version).

Your username appears near the top of this page, often labeled as "Username" or "GitHub username". This is the official record of your account name. You will also see your email address and other account details on this same page. If you need to change your username, GitHub allows this from the same settings page, though it will update all your repository URLs and commit history links.

Find your username in your commit history

If you have made commits to any repository, your username appears in the commit history. Go to any repository where you have pushed code, click the "Commits" tab, and look for commits with your name. Click on any commit you made, and your username will appear as a link in the commit details.

This method works even if you have forgotten your password, as long as you can access a repository where you have contributed. The username shown in commits is always your account username, not a display name or email address. This is useful if you are trying to remember your username from a work computer or shared machine where you may not be logged in.

Check your GitHub profile URL

Your GitHub profile URL always follows the pattern github.com/yourusername. If you know your profile URL, your username is everything after the last slash. For example, if your profile URL is github.com/alice-smith, your username is alice-smith.

You can find your profile URL by logging into GitHub and clicking your profile picture, then selecting "Your profile". The URL in your browser's address bar is your profile URL. You can also share this URL with others to show them your public repositories and contribution history.

What to do if you cannot log in

If you cannot remember your password and cannot log into GitHub, you will need to use the password reset option. Go to github.com/login and click "Forgot password?" Enter the email address associated with your GitHub account. GitHub will send you a password reset link to that email.

Once you reset your password and log in, you can find your username using any of the methods above. If you do not have access to the email address associated with your account, you will need to contact GitHub Support through their help page at support.github.com. They can help you regain access to your account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my GitHub username the same as my display name?

No. Your username is what you chose when you created your account and what appears in your profile URL. Your display name is optional and can be different — it is what shows on your profile page. Your username is what matters for commits, repositories, and mentions.

Can I change my GitHub username?

Yes. Go to Settings, click Account, and you will see an option to change your username. GitHub will update your profile URL and all repository links, but old URLs may stop working. Any links people have saved to your old profile URL will need to be updated.

What if I see a different name on my GitHub profile?

That is your display name, not your username. Your actual username is what appears in the top right dropdown menu and in your profile URL. You can have a display name that is completely different from your username.

Where does my username appear in my commits?

Your username appears in the commit history of any repository where you have pushed code. Click on any commit you made, and your username shows as a link. It also appears in the commit message author line when you view the commit details.

Can someone else have the same username as me?

No. GitHub usernames are unique across the entire platform. When you created your account, you chose a username that no one else could use. If a username is taken, you cannot use it even if that account is inactive.