# Is it possible to display user name or real name in posts lists instead of Avatar

**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-it-possible-to-display-user-name-or-real-name-in-posts-lists-instead-of-avatar/98027
**Category:** Feature
**Created:** [September 25, 2018, 4:07pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-it-possible-to-display-user-name-or-real-name-in-posts-lists-instead-of-avatar/98027 "2018-09-25T16:07:27Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Showing post:** 2

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### Author: ![robmc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/meta/user_avatar/meta.discourse.org/robmc/32/125900_2.png) [@robmc](https://meta.discourse.org/u/robmc)
#### Post date: [September 25, 2018, 4:58pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/is-it-possible-to-display-user-name-or-real-name-in-posts-lists-instead-of-avatar/98027/2 "2018-09-25T16:58:01Z")

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Avatars and Names are completely separate elements, so I’m not sure what you mean.

If a member has not added an image to their avatar / profile, then the system defaults to using a letter (the first letter of their username) in a coloured background to identify them, so that this relates, in a small way, to that user, so we are already doing what you are suggesting.

If you want to control the name on the site, then there is a related topic here:

> [@Username vs Name](https://meta.discourse.org/t/username-vs-name/97947):
>
> Is there a way to allow a user to choose what gets displayed when they post in the forum? We would like our users to be able to choose between using either the Username or Name field. We’ve had some questions around privacy since it defaults to their username. Thanks!

Please do consider searching the resources on this site for lots more information

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