So you’ve decided you want a different username without needing to start over. We can help you with this but there are some things you need to do before you make a request for a change. Please keep in mind that some of these requirements might be changed or altered to fit our staff’s schedules.
Things To Keep In Mind
How long have you been a member?
We don’t require you to have been here very long but if you haven’t been here a month yet, we won’t change it for you. When an account is that new you can simply go here: Delete Account and start over if you don’t want to wait until you’ve been a member for a month.
Will this affect my ability to use myOtaku?
Yes. Since the older blogging system is not compatible with the newer system a name change may lock you out of your myOtaku account. If you are able to log in with your new username you will no longer be able to access your archived posts or make changes to your myOtaku profile.
This is not something we can fix for you so be sure you really want the change before you request it. If you joined the site after March 5, 2008, this will not apply to you.
How often can I change it?
You can ask for a name change once a month. If the number of requests ends up being quite high then it may be changed to only once every two or three months. Since opening this up for everyone is a new feature we can’t say for sure just which it will be yet.
Is the name you want to use available?
If someone else has the username you want, you won’t be able to have yours changed to that. So before you make a request you’ll want to go here: Members Portal and use the Member Hop search function to take a look.
If the name is in use it will take you to their profile. If it is not you will get an error telling you they don’t exist. If that’s the case then you can request that username.
Please do not ask us to delete an older apparently inactive account. The chances of that happening are extremely unlikely. Simply find another username that isn’t being used.
How long can the name be?
If you change your user name it has to be 15 characters or less. This includes any spaces in the name. If you chose: Red Cat, it will count as seven characters because of the space between the two words.
But I’ve seen names that are 17 characters, why can’t I use that?
For changes the limit is 15 characters. If the name you want is too long you’ll need to come up with something else.
Can I use symbols or other stuff in it?
No. It has to be numbers and letters (English) but other symbols or punctuation isn’t allowed. Our system isn’t set up to handle the characters or symbols found in other languages.
But I’ve seen other names with symbols in it.
It doesn’t matter. Any changes to an existing account cannot include symbols of any kind.
I’ve checked everything and have a name in mind, how do I make a request?
Excellent, if you’ve done everything and have a name ready then send a pm to SunfallE. She will double check to make sure you meet the requirements and if everything is done properly she will change it for you.
How will I know that it was changed?
If you picked a name that has issues, SunfallE will explain what you need to do to fix it. In which case, a PM will be waiting for you when you log in. If you go to log in and it doesn’t work, try using the new name you asked for with your current password.
Also, give it some time for the request to be processed. Ideally we plan on getting through all of them within 48 hours but depending on the number of requests it could be longer. If you haven’t heard or seen a change in 48 hours then you can ask for an update.
Who else changes usernames?
Right now the only member who changes usernames is SunfallE. Please do not ask other moderators or the site Founder, Adam to make this change for you. Some of them might forward the request to SunfallE but they will not be required to do so, it is not their job.
Now if there is anything else that I’ve missed on this or if you have other questions, go ahead and leave a comment and we’ll get them answered for you.
