How to create a secure username

by Tomáš Valouch, updated November 4, 2024

Creating a secure username is a key step in protecting your online accounts and can significantly reduce the risk of cyber attacks on your account. Just as we think carefully about creating our passwords, we should take the same care in choosing the right username.

In this article, we’ll look at the principles and practices for creating a username that is not only original, but also hard for attackers to guess. We’ll present some tips to ensure maximum security for your online accounts.

How to create a secure username?

The first step to protecting any account is choosing a secure username, whether it’s a random website account or an online banking account.

Just as we carefully protect our important documents and personal information, we should protect our accounts in the same way. A unique and well-chosen username is the cornerstone of this protection. But what does such a username look like?

Don’t include your personal information

It is very important to avoid using personal information such as your real name, date of birth, address or other sensitive data. This is because this information can easily be misused in phishing attacks, identity theft or other forms of online fraud.

In addition, attackers often use this information to reveal passwords, manipulate accounts, or even try to break into other accounts by combining your publicly available information.

• Avoid using your full name (e.g. “JanNovak”) or nicknames that easily reflect your real identity.
• Do not use parts of your personal information such as initials associated with your year of birth (e.g. “Jan1985”), this is unfortunately a common and risky practice.

Use unique combinations

A secure username should be original but easy for you to remember. The goal is to create a username that is not common and is hard to predict, minimizing the risk of your account being attacked.

Uniqueness ensures that your name won’t appear on lists of common usernames that hackers often try first.

• Combine random words or parts of words that don’t fit together at first glance (e.g., “BlueTree99” or “CloudDog35”).
• Add numbers or special characters to your name, but not in common patterns (e.g. use “29Q” instead of “123”).
• Take inspiration from words or phrases from unusual sources, such as books, scientific terms.

Safe username generators

If you’re having trouble coming up with an original and secure username, there are many online tools and generators that can help.

Most generators work by using algorithms to create random combinations of letters, numbers and symbols.

Some tools allow you to input information such as your name, interests or hobbies to make the resulting name easier for you to remember. The goal is to create a unique username that is difficult for attackers to guess.

Popular tools:

• SpinXO: This generator takes into account different keywords and interests to create a personalized username that is still original and relatively safe.
• NordPass Username Generator: The NordPass generator tool creates random usernames with an emphasis on security and originality. It also offers a choice between simple and more complex combinations.
• Hootsuite Username Generator: This username generator allows you to quickly and easily create a unique username tailored to your specific needs. You can select a social network, specify an account type, and choose a category to customize your username.

Username managers

Personal data managers, also known as password managers, are key tools for securely managing and storing your login information, including usernames, passwords and other sensitive information.

These apps and services allow you to keep all your usernames and passwords in one place in an encrypted database, making them easier to manage and increasing your online security.

Using a password manager gives you the ability to have strong and unique usernames and passwords for each account without having to remember them. Other benefits include, for example, auto-populating login details.

When choosing a password manager, it’s important to consider factors including trustworthiness and security, level of encryption, user-friendliness, available features, and possibly price.

Mistakes to avoid

The username is often the first line of defense for your online account. Yet many of us choose it without much thought. So what are the most common mistakes made when creating a username?

Using popular words

Using easy-to-guess usernames increases the risk of account hacking. Usernames such as “admin123”, “user456”, or even “password” are among the most vulnerable, as they are often used in attempts to break into your account.

Using the same username

While it may seem practical to use the same username on all platforms, it’s important to consider some situations where doing so could be risky.

If you use the same username across different accounts, attackers can take advantage of your username already acquired on one platform and automatically use it on others.

Therefore, it’s better to use different variations of your username to reduce the risk of all accounts being compromised at once.

Using one email address

Using one email address for all purposes can be dangerous and impractical. If someone gains access to that single address, they can easily take control of your other accounts by resetting your passwords.

Additionally, there is a higher risk of spam because your address can be spread among marketing firms or end up in the hands of hackers. Another concern is the threat to privacy, as sharing a single address for both personal and business purposes can lead to sensitive information being leaked. Inbox organization becomes more complex, as important messages can easily get lost in a flood of less important emails.

Changing an address if it is misused is also unnecessarily complicated. Therefore, it is wise to use different emails for different purposes to improve your security and make it easier to organize your communications.

Email aliases are a useful tool that allows you to manage different email addresses from one main account, improving security and simplifying organization. They help protect privacy by allowing you to hide your main address when registering on different sites or for less trusted communications.

If an alias is misused or overwhelmed with spam, it can be easily deactivated without affecting the main account. Aliases also make it easier to organize your inbox, as each alias can serve a different purpose.

However, it is important to choose a suitable and trustworthy email service that offers reliable security features such as strong encryption, two-factor authentication. Some services can provide you with

Writing usernames in the wrong places

One of the most common mistakes when managing usernames is storing them on papers that are easily accessible. Whether it’s a post-it note taped to your monitor or a notepad in your desk drawer, these are not good places to store sensitive information. Anyone with access to your workspace can easily gain access to your usernames.

Another risk is storing usernames in unsecured digital documents. Storing this information in text files or spreadsheets without encryption is just as dangerous as having it written on paper. These files can easily be compromised by malware or accessed by unauthorised persons.

Using the same username after a data leak

If a situation arises where your username is part of a data leak or disclosed as a result of a cyber-attack, it is essential to update all affected usernames immediately.

Ignoring this need can lead to further complications such as your account being hacked and your account being obtained by attackers.

It is also important to note that some platforms do not support username changes, so it is advisable to use different usernames for each platform. In such cases, it is advisable to change your password.

To find out if your email address or login credentials were included in the data leak, you can use Have I Been Pwned.

Examples of secure usernames

Secure usernames should be original, hard to predict and ideally should not contain personal information. The following examples can serve as inspiration for creating strong usernames.

• Examples inspired by a combination of random words and numbers: BlueSky37, ThunderWolf29, SilentStream_88, StarDust42.
• Examples with special characters to increase security: Green$Hawk_17, Shadow_Dragon#9, Phoenix@FlameX3, Fire&Stone28.
• Unique examples of combinations of interests and numbers: AstroTomas23, Techno_Tomas_42, GalacticTomas_77, Tomas_EngineerX98.