Your username appears in the top-right corner of any GitHub page when you're logged in

When you log into GitHub, look at the very top right of the page. You'll see a small circular profile picture or avatar. Click on it, and a dropdown menu appears. Your username is listed at the top of that menu, usually in bold text. That's your GitHub username — the name you use to log in and the name that appears in your public profile URL.

If you're not logged in, you can still find your username by visiting your profile directly. Go to github.com/[your-username] in your browser. If you remember any part of your username or the email you signed up with, you can use GitHub's search or account recovery tools to locate it.

Key Takeaways

  • Your GitHub username appears in the dropdown menu under your profile picture in the top-right corner when logged in.
  • Your username is also the last part of your profile URL — for example, github.com/sarah-chen shows the username is "sarah-chen".
  • If you've forgotten your username but remember your email, you can use the account recovery page at github.com/login to find it.
  • Your username is different from your display name; the display name is what appears on your profile, while the username is what you use to log in.

Check your profile URL

The simplest way to confirm your username is to look at the web address of your profile page. When you're logged in, click your profile picture and select "Your profile" from the dropdown. The URL in your browser's address bar will show github.com/your-username. Everything after the final forward slash is your username.

This method works even if you're not currently logged in — if you know the web address of your profile, the username is right there in the URL. You can also share this URL with others so they can find your public profile and see your repositories and contributions.

Use the account recovery page if you've forgotten it

If you can't remember your username and you're not logged in, go to github.com/login and look for a "Forgot password?" link. Click it. GitHub will ask you to enter the email address associated with your account. After you verify your email, GitHub will show you the username linked to that account.

This process confirms your identity through email, so you'll need access to the email address you used when you created your GitHub account. If you no longer have access to that email, GitHub's support team can help you regain access to your account through additional verification steps.

Understand the difference between username and display name

GitHub lets you set two different names: your username (also called your login) and your display name. Your username is what you use to log in and what appears in your profile URL. Your display name is what shows up on your profile page and in comments — it can include spaces, capital letters, and special characters, while your username cannot.

If you see a name on someone's GitHub profile that looks different from their URL, that's their display name. To find the actual username, look at the URL or click on their profile picture to see the account details. This distinction matters when you're trying to mention someone in a comment or find their repositories — you need to use their username, not their display name.

Find your username in your email confirmation

When you first created your GitHub account, you received a confirmation email. That email often includes your username. Search your email inbox for messages from GitHub — look for the subject line "Verify your email address" or "Welcome to GitHub". The email body usually states your username clearly.

If you still have access to that email account and the message is still there, this is one of the fastest ways to confirm your username without needing to reset your password or use recovery tools.

Check your SSH or personal access token settings

If you've set up SSH keys or personal access tokens on your computer, your username may be stored there. On Mac or Linux, open Terminal and run cat ~/.ssh/config to see if your GitHub username appears in any SSH configuration. On Windows, you can check your Git configuration by opening Command Prompt and running git config --global user.name.

These files don't always contain your GitHub username — they might only have your email or a generic name — but if you've configured them carefully, your username may be there. This method is most useful if you've been working with GitHub repositories for a while and set up these tools yourself.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my GitHub username?

Yes, you can change your username in your account settings under "Account" in the left sidebar. GitHub will redirect your old username to your new one for a short time, but old links and URLs will eventually stop working. Repositories and contributions stay with your account regardless of the username change.

Is my GitHub username the same as my email?

No. Your username and email are separate. You log in with your username, but GitHub also requires an email address for account recovery and notifications. You can change your email in settings without changing your username, and vice versa.

What if I created a GitHub account but never confirmed my email?

You can still log in with your username and password. However, you won't be able to push code or perform certain actions until you verify your email. Go to your account settings and look for the email verification section to complete this step.

Can someone else see my GitHub username?

Yes. Your username is public by default — anyone can visit your profile page using your username in the URL. Your repositories, contributions, and activity are visible to the public unless you make them private. You can control what information appears on your profile through privacy settings.