Wikipedia:Changing username:

This page should not be confused with requests for checkuser or documentation about the renaming of pages.

This page is a forum in which users can request, and bureaucrats can consider and carry out, username changes. It is usually only possible to rename an account to a name which is not yet taken. Renaming is carried out in accordance with the username policy.

Requests to "usurp" an existing username should be made at Wikipedia:Changing username/Usurpations, not here.
SUL notice:
- If your request has to do with the recently enabled unified login feature, it probably belongs at Wikipedia:Changing username/SUL, not here.
- If you already made a request here and it has vanished, we have probably moved it to Wikipedia:Changing username/SUL.
Please read the instructions carefully before making your request.

Instructions

First, take a look at the username policy to make sure the username you are requesting is appropriate. Also, please note that for technical reasons, your username cannot begin with a lowercase letter, nor can it contain any underscores.
Check to make sure the username you are requesting is not already taken. Do this by searching for the name in this list. If the name appears in the list, even if the link is red, it is taken. Do not create an account under the new name. We'll do that for you.
Log in with your present username in order to place your request. Renames will not be approved if the requestee is not logged in.
Click here to place a request.
- Replace the text "CURRENT" with your present username.
- Replace "NEW" with the username to which you wish to be renamed.
- Fill in a reason where indicated but do not add anything in the "subject/headline" box.

If that doesn't work, simply copy the following text to your computer's clipboard:

{{subst:Renameuser|CURRENT|NEW|3=Reason for requested renaming.}} ~~~~

Go to the "Requests" section of this page, click the "edit" link, and paste the text at the very bottom. Modify it as indicated above.

Make sure that you have spelled both names correctly. Save the page.
Check back periodically to answer any questions that may arise regarding your request. Do not be surprised if you suddenly cannot log in to your old account; this merely indicates that you should log in under your new name as the request has been fulfilled.
Please be patient. It may take a few days for your request to be completed.

Effects of a username change

When the rename has been completed, your account will have been renamed, and any contributions you have made (including deleted contributions) will be reattributed to your new account as a background process. Your account preferences, watchlist contents, password, etc. will all be preserved, and your user and user talk pages will have been moved to the new name.

Note: The process responsible for reallocating old contributions is currently dependent upon the job queue mechanism. As such, you may find old contributions do not immediately appear under your new account; this is perfectly normal. Updates should take at most a day to complete, although the length of time will vary according to the size of the job queue on this wiki, and the status of the server processes which process this queue.
The change will appear in the user rename log and the request will be moved to the archives in the interest of transparency. It is not possible to rename accounts without an entry being created in the log.
This change will not affect signatures you have already left on talk pages, or other places where you signed your username with ~~~~. Those pages will continue to display your signature (including the link to your old username) unless edited manually.
Be aware: Once you have been renamed, your old account will no longer exist and may potentially be recreated by a third party. This is true even if your old account pages have been redirected towards your new account. To guard against impersonation, you may wish to recreate the old account yourself.

Instructions for other Wikipedias

To request a namechange or usurpation on another language Wikipedia, consult the Index of pages where renaming can be requested on Meta-Wiki and make a request to the appropriate page on the project concerned.

If the wiki does not appear to have such a page, you can try contacting a local bureaucrat directly (bureaucrats are users who can rename users). To identify who is a bureaucrat on any given project, go to the Special:ListUsers of that project and select bureaucrats from the right menu as the permission you wish to sort by.

If the project does not have bureaucrats, you should contact a steward on Meta-Wiki (stewards are users who manage user rights on all Wikimedia wikis). To request one or multiple name changes, go to Steward requests/Username changes. For general requests about SUL accounts, go to Steward requests/SUL requests.

1 Instructions
2 Instructions for other Wikipedias
3 Notes
4 Current requests

Notes

It is not possible for bureaucrats to merge two accounts, or to reattribute edits from IP addresses. Only registered accounts can be renamed.
This page is for requests on the English Wikipedia only. To change your username on another Wikimedia project, please ask a bureaucrat on that project or make a request on Meta.
As an alternative, please consider changing your signature. This will change your "public appearance" on talk pages and other places where you sign your username with ~~~~.
If you have not made very many edits, it may be easier for you simply to create a new account. You can then discontinue use of the old one. It does not need to be deleted; disused accounts are harmless and may be safely ignored. This will save you the trouble of submitting a request and waiting around for it to be fulfilled.
Account names requested here are regarded as being "reserved" until the request is accepted or rejected. If someone else registers the account while the request is here, it will be renamed if necessary to allow for the requested move.
Usernames cannot start with a lowercase letter or contain underscores; the first letter will be automatically capitalized and underscores replaced with spaces. However, you can change your signature to say whatever you like, within reason of course. You can also place a {{lowercase}} on your userpage, talk page, and subpages to make them be displayed with an initial lowercase letter.
Of possible interest: the Wikimedia Foundation privacy policy; "Right to vanish".

Several users provide assistance with the mechanics of this process. If you wish to help please read the linked page carefully.

It is also possible to copy one's watchlist to a new username. (See Wikipedia:Copying watchlist to new username).

Archives: See: Wikipedia:Changing username/Archives

Current requests

Click here to place a request

Salamandar → K90

Current name: Salamandar (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: K90 (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: I cannot create a new account because they are too similar and the name currently exist and i need to have the same name as my account on wikipédia français, english, deutch latina and all my other account in wikibook, wikisource... this is more easy for login. And I get a diff here that proove I have the same name on other wiki. The account K90 is not available but the person who created it doesnt use it. How can I got it? Salamandar talk 13:49, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Not done The name K90 (talk · contribs) is already taken. As the account has no edits, it can be usurped; to do so, place a request at Wikipedia:Changing username/Usurpations. Kingturtle (talk) 13:55, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

So I do it--Salamandar talk 22:00, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

MIMUSH → MICHIGANMUSH.COM

Current name: MIMUSH (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: MICHIGANMUSH.COM (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Reason for requested renaming. MIMUSH (talk) 17:36, 13 November 2008 (UTC) Made a mistake

Clerk note: Usernames promoting some group or entity are not permitted. Useight (talk) 17:43, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Not done Kingturtle (talk) 20:30, 13 November 2008 (UTC)

Sandra.montisci → Monti

Current name: Sandra.montisci (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Monti (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Reason for requested renaming. Sandra.montisci (talk) 16:59, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

My name is Sandra Montisci and therefore my user name of "Sandra.montisci" is almost identical. In the interest of privacy, I would prefer to use a pseudonym i.e. "Monti".

From the Privacy Policy of Wikipedia, I believe that in the interests of privacy, the default setting for all user signatures is to share only the minimally required information (name, affiliated institution and country).

I do not wish any additional information to be made available to other users, and therefore prefer that my name not be added to my user page.

Not done Monti is taken but as it has no edits, you can usurp it. Place a request at WP:CHUU and follow the instructions there. 18:21, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

President Hoovereality → Curious Quetzal

Current name: President Hoovereality (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Curious Quetzal (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Changed my mind. President Hoovereality (talk) 19:01, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Done Kingturtle (talk) 19:12, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Fortunefeatures → Fortune Features

Current name: Fortunefeatures (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Fortune Features (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Reason for requested renaming. Correction! Fortunefeatures (talk) 20:19, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Lady Galaxy → Dasani

Current name: Lady Galaxy (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Dasani (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: I picked this username because it came from a Korean song that I was really quite fond of. However, several horrible incidents happened (I don't want to get into specifics but I will if asked to), and then I thought twice about using this as a Wikipedia name. Also, it's a little long and confusing. 20:43, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Chipadobe → ChipBrown

Current name: Chipadobe (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: ChipBrown (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Thats my real name, I made a mistake when typing (standard username for me). I have donated to wikipedia many times. Thanks. :) Chipadobe (talk) 21:11, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

BardVentures → YogaN

Current name: BardVentures (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: YogaN (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: inappropriate name, mistaken as a company rep. Natasha 22:51, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

Offthekuff → Off The Kuff

Current name: Offthekuff (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Off The Kuff (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Reason for requested renaming. Offthekuff (talk) 22:56, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

NYCBBB → Sopranyc

Current name: NYCBBB (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Sopranyc (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Reason for requested renaming. New user unintended mistake in username switch to correct. NYCBBB (talk) 23:14, 14 November 2008 (UTC)

VasileGaburici → Pohta ce-am pohtit

Current name: VasileGaburici (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Pohta ce-am pohtit (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: More privacy. VG ☎ 02:01, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

Clokwise → Monosodious

Current name: Clokwise (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: Monosodious (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: Name was misspelled, and I prefer to use my gamer name. badstomach (talk) 03:01, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

Sonnyhopson → WebRX

Current name: Sonnyhopson (talk · contribs · logs · block log)
Requested name: WebRX (SUL conflicts?) (rename user)
Reason: WI was using the same user name as the person I am writing the article about

SonnyHopson (talk) 03:56, 15 November 2008 (UTC)

Wikipedia:Changing username