Registering for a Facebook Username

June 12, 2009

The Facebook Blog states, “We’re planning to offer Facebook usernames to make it easier for people to find and connect with you. When your friends, family members or co-workers visit your profile or Pages on Facebook, they will be able to enter your username as part of the URL in their browser. This way people will have an easy-to-remember way to find you. We expect to offer even more ways to use your Facebook username in the future.”

Is the process of registering a username on Facebook going to be easier? Let’s explore this step-by-step:

Read the Facebook Blog for the details. The devil is in the details here. It’s not as simple as taking your profile name and registering it. (Have you ever known Facebook to do anything simply?!) So READ THE BLOG FIRST.
At 12:01 a.m. (EDT), Saturday you can then go to Facebook’s username registration page to CHOOSE your username. The operative word here is “choose.” Facebook will offer you a few names and you’re given the option to choose one of their selections or choose one of your own. That’s why it’s imperative to read the blog first. I suspect I’ll have a special time at selecting a username given there are seven pages of Robin Caldwells in the Facebook search.
Think before setting your username because after you choose, it’s a done deal.

Facebook has a FAQ page you can reference for answers on intellectual property and general Facebook procedures involving usernames. Also, if you administer a Facebook page, they provide special instructions for you HERE. And if you have questions about trademarked names and brands, go HERE to contact Facebook directly.

Historically, Facebook has been vague about their terms of use and what they deem offensive and violations of their policies. This is no exception. What isn’t clear in all of the reading they provide is the topic of username choice. Is Facebook limiting the user in its selection choices? Can I identify my profile with my given name or my business name? I’m sure by tomorrow this time their blog will be flooded with complaints and feedback that will answer my questions. (I’m also kind of scared of the “even more ways to use” my username Facebook plans to offer in the future; aren’t you?)

Category: Launches, web 2.0 | Tags: facebook, Facebook usernames

Mike

Thanks for the info!

I got my name as the username.

You don't need 1,000 Fans to get your own username.

Your Facebook account must be registered before June 9 as the only criteria.

Mike

markusrobinson

Pages do need at least 1000 fans to get a their own name. I had to learn that the hard way!

ListenToLeon

I switched mine to ListenToLeon, but I actually took some time to think about it, and I also asked some of my readers and fellow bloggers for advice. In the end, I just decided to go with my website's name, since I put links to my writing on Facebook every day.

Robin

With 7 pages of Robin Caldwells I did well and it was fast. I'm robin.caldwell, I'll take the dot. I started to do my company name but thought against it. On June 28 pages can try it again and I believe you won't need 1,000 fans. I wonder what they'll do for group pages. Stay tuned.

Lamar

Robin I noticed with my account that even though I took the first.last name option it actually still works without the period as well. At least for now.

rmcaldwell

Lamar, thanks for the heads up. I can access my page with robincaldwell. I guess the other 7 pages of Robin Caldwells could care less about a vanity URL. Works for me. At least for now. LOL