Your GitHub username is the name you chose when you created your account, and it appears in your profile URL

Your GitHub username is the unique identifier you picked during account creation. It shows up in your profile web address — for example, if your username is sarah-chen, your profile lives at github.com/sarah-chen. This is different from your display name, which is what appears next to your comments and commits but can be changed anytime without affecting your account.

You use your username to log in, to share your profile with others, and to claim ownership of repositories you create. It's permanent once set, though GitHub does allow you to change it in your account settings — doing so will redirect your old profile URL to the new one for a period of time.

Key Takeaways

  • Your GitHub username appears in your profile URL and is the name you use to log in to your account.
  • You can find your username by looking at your profile page, your account settings, or any repository you own.
  • Your username is different from your display name, which can be changed without affecting your account identity.
  • GitHub allows you to change your username, but the old URL will only redirect for a limited time before breaking links.
  • Your username is public and visible to anyone who views your profile or repositories.

Where to find your username in GitHub

The fastest way is to log into GitHub and look at the top right corner of any page. Click the profile icon (usually a small circle with your avatar), and the dropdown menu shows your username at the top. You can also go directly to github.com/settings/profile — the URL in your browser's address bar will show your username if you're logged in.

If you have created any repositories, your username appears in the URL of those repositories. For instance, a project called weather-app that you own will be at github.com/your-username/weather-app. You can also find it by visiting your profile page: click your avatar in the top right, select "Your profile", and the page URL will show your username.

The difference between username and display name

GitHub lets you set a display name separately from your username. Your display name is what shows up next to your comments, pull requests, and commits — it can be your full name, a nickname, or anything else. You can change your display name as often as you want without affecting your account or breaking any links.

Your username, by contrast, is your permanent account identifier. Changing it is possible but has consequences: any links to your old profile URL will eventually stop working, and collaborators who have bookmarked your profile will need to update their links. For this reason, most people keep their username the same throughout their GitHub life.

Why your username matters

Your username is how other developers find and reference your work. When you share a repository with someone, you give them a link containing your username. When you contribute to open-source projects, your username appears in the commit history and pull request list. Employers and collaborators often search for developers by username, so it's worth choosing one that's professional and straightforward to remember.

Your username also affects how your repositories are organized. Every repository you create is stored under your username's namespace, so all your projects are grouped together under one identity. This makes it straightforward for people to see everything you've built by visiting your profile.

Changing your username if you need to

Go to github.com/settings/account and scroll down to "Change username". Enter your new username and click "Change username". GitHub will redirect your old profile URL to the new one for a period of time, but this redirect is not permanent — after some time, the old URL will no longer work.

Before you change your username, understand that any links to your old profile, repositories, or pull requests will break eventually. If you have shared your profile URL widely or if your username is listed in documentation or websites, those links will stop working. You should update any important links yourself before making the change.

Usernames and privacy

Your GitHub username is public by default. Anyone can visit github.com/your-username and see your profile, your repositories, your contributions, and your activity. This is intentional — GitHub is built around public collaboration and discovery. If you want to keep some repositories private, you can mark individual repositories as private in their settings, but your username itself and your public activity remain visible.

You cannot hide your username or make it private. If you want to keep your GitHub activity separate from your public identity, you can create a second account with a different username, but each account requires its own email address.

Common username mistakes to avoid

Avoid usernames with spaces, capital letters, or special characters — GitHub converts them to lowercase and hyphens anyway, so Sarah-Chen becomes sarah-chen. Keep it short and memorable; long usernames are harder to type and share. Don't include personal information like your phone number or full address, since your username is public.

If you're creating a username for professional use, avoid numbers that might date your account or make it harder to find. A username like developer2015 signals when you joined, whereas developer or dev-name is timeless. Test your username in the GitHub signup form before committing to it — the form will tell you if it's already taken or violates GitHub's naming rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is my GitHub username the same as my email address?

No. Your username is separate from your email. You use your email or username to log in, but they are different. Your email is private unless you choose to make it public in your profile settings, while your username is always public.

Can someone else use the username I want?

Yes. GitHub usernames are first-come, first-served. If the username you want is already taken, you'll need to choose a different one. You can check if a username is available by trying to sign up with it or by visiting github.com/username to see if a profile exists.

What happens to my repositories if I change my username?

Your repositories stay with you and move to your new username. GitHub redirects the old repository URLs to the new ones for a time, but the redirect is not permanent. You should update any links in documentation, websites, or other places that reference your old repository URLs.

Can I use special characters in my username?

GitHub only allows letters, numbers, and hyphens in usernames. Spaces, underscores, periods, and other special characters are not permitted. If you try to use them, GitHub will reject the username during signup.

Is my username case-sensitive?

No. GitHub treats usernames as case-insensitive, so Sarah-Chen, sarah-chen, and SARAH-CHEN all refer to the same account. GitHub converts all usernames to lowercase in the system.