# Improve error message for reserved usernames

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-error-message-for-reserved-usernames/71425
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [October 4, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-error-message-for-reserved-usernames/71425 "2017-10-04T21:00:59Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![jordan1909](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@jordan1909](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jordan1909)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2017, 9:00pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-error-message-for-reserved-usernames/71425/1 "2017-10-04T21:00:59Z")

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Hello all,  
I have on my instance a reserved character string. When users attempt to change their usernames to this  
however they get an error that it is already in use.

Is there a way I can specifically override that string only? To be more specific the string in a user account whena user goes to update their username manually.

 ![username](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/meta/original/3X/3/0/3093309004bf34f68935e98eb3d5381ca3e641a9.png)

**To confirm, the username is NOT taken. It simply contains the reserved substring.**

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### Author: ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [October 4, 2017, 9:11pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-error-message-for-reserved-usernames/71425/2 "2017-10-04T21:11:00Z")

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You can go to `https://yoursite.com/admin/customize/site_texts?q=`, search for “Sorry, that” and replace it with whatever you feel is most appropriate.

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### Author: ![jordan1909](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9f8e36/32.png) [@jordan1909](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jordan1909)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-error-message-for-reserved-usernames/71425/3 "2017-10-05T16:47:42Z")

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@pfaffman

That would work however that would override a scenario when a username is in fact already taken.

We wouldn’t want to say username is taken when it just contains a reserved string.

For example:

jon is already in use but I updated that message. Jon now sees: Sorry, that username contains a reserved string

Get what I mean?

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![pfaffman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/pfaffman/32/120154_2.png) [@pfaffman](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pfaffman)
#### Post date: [October 5, 2017, 4:51pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/improve-error-message-for-reserved-usernames/71425/4 "2017-10-05T16:51:26Z")

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> [@jordan1909](#):
>
> Get what I mean?

I do. In the immediate term, you can edit the message to say something like “It’s taken or contains RESERVED WORD.” That would give you a solution, albeit imperfect, immediately.

What you want seems like a reasonable feature request, as the error message could be more robust and explicit.