Username checker

Type the handle once on the checker. You get answers for the platforms with an official lookup, and a ready-made link for each platform that doesn't allow one. This page explains how to read the results and what to do when your first choice is gone.

What the checker does with what you type

Most platforms only accept letters, numbers and a few symbols, so the checker lowercases your text and drops spaces and other symbols. "Blue Fern Studio" becomes bluefernstudio. Domains use the same text without dots or underscores. If a platform's rules reject the result, that row says "Not allowed" instead of guessing.

Reading the results

• Looks free: the platform's own lookup found no account. It can still refuse the name at sign-up, so claim it soon.
• Taken: an account uses the name. Use the "Look yourself" link to see whether it's active.
• No answer: the platform didn't reply or asked us to slow down. GitHub, for example, allows only 60 anonymous lookups an hour (GitHub docs). Try again later or use the link.
• Coming soon: the official API needs a key we haven't set up yet. The link works now.

Two platforms that work differently

Mastodon

Mastodon is many independent servers, and a username belongs to one server. @sam@mastodon.social and @sam@mstdn.social are different people. We check three large servers and tell you which ones have the name. If you join a smaller server, the name may be free there even when the big servers show it taken.

Bluesky

A Bluesky handle is a domain name (AT Protocol handle spec). We check yourname.bsky.social, the default. If you own your domain, you can use it as your handle instead, which no one else can claim. That's one more reason to register the .com.

The platforms you check by hand

Instagram, Facebook, Threads, TikTok, X, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, Medium, Substack, Telegram and Product Hunt are links. Their terms forbid automated lookups or they have no public way to ask. How it works quotes the terms for each. Open the ones you'll actually use; there's no point claiming a Snapchat name for a plumbing business.

When your first choice is taken

Pick one fallback pattern and use it everywhere, so people can guess it. Common patterns:

• Add what you do: bluefernstudio becomes bluefernphoto.
• Add a place: bluefernokc.
• Add a short word like "hq", "app" or "co": bluefernhq.

Avoid numbers and underscores if you can. People who hear the name have to guess where they go, and the score takes points off for them. Run each variant through the checker; the one with the most free names and an open .com usually wins.

Claim in this order

1. The domain, because it takes a minute and costs little.
2. The platforms where your customers already are.
3. Everything else you might use within a year.

Check a username now