Check Your GitHub Profile Page

Your GitHub username appears at the top of your profile page, right next to your avatar. Open GitHub.com, click your profile picture in the top right corner, and select "Your profile" from the dropdown menu. The username is the text that comes after github.com/ in the web address — for example, if your profile URL is github.com/sarah-chen, then sarah-chen is your username.

You can also see your username on any repository you own. Look at the URL bar when you're viewing one of your projects. The format is always github.com/[your-username]/[repository-name]. The part between the first and second slash is your username.

Key Takeaways

  • Your username appears in your profile URL right after github.com/ and stays the same across all your repositories and activity.
  • The quickest way to find it is to click your profile picture, select "Your profile", and read the URL in the address bar.
  • Your username is different from your display name — the display name is what appears on your profile card, while the username is what you use to log in and what appears in URLs.
  • If you changed your username in the past, GitHub automatically redirects old URLs to your new one, but your current username is what matters for sharing and collaboration.

Look at Your Account Settings

If you want to confirm your username without navigating to your profile, go to your account settings. Click your profile picture in the top right, select "Settings", then choose "Account" from the left sidebar. Your username is listed near the top of the page under "Username". This is also where you can change your username if you need to, though GitHub will keep your old one working as a redirect for a short time.

The settings page also shows your display name separately. Your display name is what people see on your profile card and in comments, while your username is the technical identifier used in URLs and for logging in. They can be different — your username might be sarah-chen-dev while your display name is "Sarah Chen".

Find It in Your Email or Notifications

GitHub includes your username in emails it sends you. Open any notification email from GitHub — a comment reply, a pull request update, or a repository mention. Look for the sender's name or the account mentioned in the email body. You can also check your email settings on GitHub by going to Settings, then "Notifications", and looking at recent email subjects, which often include your username.

If you receive a notification that someone mentioned you in a comment or issue, that mention will show your exact username. The format is always @[your-username]. This is the fastest way to confirm your username if you're already in your email inbox.

What to Do If You Forgot Your Password

If you can't log in to GitHub to check your username, you can still find it without logging in. Go to github.com and look for the "Forgot password?" link on the login page. Enter the email address associated with your account. GitHub will send you a password reset link, and the email will address you by your username or display name, which helps you remember which account you're using.

Alternatively, if you remember any repository you created or contributed to, you can search for it on GitHub without logging in. Visit the repository page and look at the URL — the username appears right after github.com/. This works even if the repository is public and you have no account access at that moment.

Understand the Difference Between Username and Display Name

GitHub lets you set both a username and a separate display name, and many people confuse them. Your username is permanent (or nearly so — you can change it, but old URLs redirect), appears in all URLs, and is what you use to log in. Your display name is what shows on your profile card and in comments, and you can change it anytime without affecting your account access.

When someone wants to mention you in a comment or pull request, they use your username with an @ symbol. When they want to see your profile, they visit github.com/[your-username]. If you've changed your display name but not your username, the URL stays the same but the name on your profile card changes. This is why it's important to know which one you're looking for.

Share Your Username Safely

Your GitHub username is public information — it's meant to be shared. You can give it to collaborators, include it in your resume, or put it on your website. Sharing your username does not expose your email, password, or any private repositories. People who know your username can see your public profile and public repositories, but nothing more unless you've added them as collaborators.

If you want to keep your email private, GitHub has a setting for that. Go to Settings, then "Emails", and check the box that says "Keep my email addresses private". This prevents your email from appearing in commit history or public activity, even though your username remains visible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my GitHub username?

Yes. Go to Settings, select "Account", and scroll to the "Change username" section. GitHub will redirect your old username to your new one for a limited time, but collaborators should update any links they have. Changing your username does not affect your repositories or account history.

Is my username the same as my login email?

No. Your username and your login email are separate. You log in with your email address, but your username is what appears in URLs and when people mention you. You can change your username without changing your email, and vice versa.

What if someone else has the username I want?

Usernames are first-come, first-served on GitHub. If the username you want is taken, you can choose a different one during account creation. You cannot request that someone else change their username, but you can use a variation — adding numbers, hyphens, or underscores is common.

Does my username appear in my commit history?

Your username appears in the commit author field only if you configured Git to use your GitHub username. By default, Git uses the name and email you set locally on your computer. You can configure Git to use your GitHub username by running git config commands in your terminal, but this is optional.

Can I hide my username from public view?

No. Your username is always public on GitHub — it's part of how the platform works. However, you can make your repositories private, limit who sees your activity, or use a pseudonymous username if you prefer not to use your real name.