Reddit Username Checker

How to check if a Reddit username is taken

Type the name in the checker above. If an account uses it, you see that account: karma, age and public details. If no account shows up, the name is probably free, and the Reddit sign-up page gives the final answer.

Why "probably"? Reddit never gives a username back. When an account is deleted or suspended, its name stays reserved forever, but from the outside it looks the same as a name nobody ever used. That is the one case where a name can look free and still be refused at sign-up.

Reddit username rules

• 3 to 20 characters.
• Letters, numbers, underscores and hyphens only. No spaces, no dots, no other symbols.
• Not case-sensitive. If u/JaneDoe exists, janedoe is taken too.
• Permanent. Reddit does not let you change a username after the account is created. If you want a different name, you need a new account.

Why a username is taken but the profile doesn't exist

You try to sign up with a name, Reddit refuses it, and yet reddit.com/user/thatname shows "page not found". Three things cause this:

• The account was deleted. The name stays reserved, even years later.
• The account was suspended. Its profile is hidden, but the name is still in use.
• The account is shadowbanned. Its profile is invisible to everyone else. The Shadowban Checker explains how to tell.

In all three cases the name will not come back. Pick a variation.

Look up a Reddit user by username

If you know the username, the fastest lookup is the profile address: reddit.com/user/ followed by the name. The checker above does the same lookup and adds the account's age and karma on one screen, which tells you quickly whether you are looking at a long-time member or a new account.

To go further, the Reddit Account Analyzer shows where that user is active, when they post, and their best posts and comments.

Choosing a username that works

Your username shows next to every post and comment, and people on Reddit judge it before they read you.

• Readable beats clever. A name people can read and remember builds recognition in the communities you join.
• Avoid long strings of numbers. They look like the random names spam accounts use.
• Stay away from marketing words such as "deals", "best" or "official", unless you run the verified account of a brand.
• If your first choice is taken, add a meaningful word, such as your field or your city, rather than random characters.

Personal or brand account?

If you use Reddit for your business, you have two options. A personal account under your own name works best for taking part in discussions: people respond to individuals more than to logos. A brand account fits official announcements, support and AMAs, especially when several people use it. Many founders run both, and are open about who they are on each.

Grabbing your brand's name early is smart. So is knowing when people mention that name in threads you never open. Our guide to tracking brand mentions on Reddit shows how to keep watch without refreshing Reddit all day.