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Definition: username


The name people use to identify themselves when logging into a computer system or online service. Spaces are not allowed in the username, and in most situations, both a username (user ID) and password are required.

Very often, people user their email address instead of making up a name, and in many cases, the email address is the required format for the username (see below).

Email Usernames
In an email address, the username is the part before the @ sign. For example, KARENB is the username in karenb@mycompany.com. AOL calls a username a "screen name." See credential stuffing.




Username or Email Address?
These Google mail server settings ask for "User Name" when, in fact, an email address must be entered and not some made-up identity. Many websites create confusion like this and may even ask for "username" in one dialog and "email address" in another.