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Definition: username


The name people use to identify themselves when logging into a computer system or online service. Spaces are generally 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."




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.