# Random usernames?
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [September 21, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934 "2026-09-21T16:25:56Z")
**Posts on this page:** 13
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@stephtara](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stephtara)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 4:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/1 "2026-09-21T16:25:56Z")
The two last people who signed up on my discourse platform (self-hosted) have usernames like PoutyTurtle58 — is this a new feature or something that has always been possible and by coincidence it never happened before? Is there a setting for this?
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### Author:  [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 4:31pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/2 "2026-09-21T16:31:25Z")
Yes, this is actually a new feature:
> [@Easier account signup using email codes](https://meta.discourse.org/t/easier-account-signup-using-email-codes/407068):
>
> Discourse communities can now let users log in using a short emailed code instead of a magic link, offering a passwordless login flow which feels familiar to many other SaaS platforms and works alongside your existing second-factor setup. In this topic, we’ll review the major changes and share how you can start using this today. microscope What’s changed When this feature is enabled, members see a simpler flow: : They enter an email address and click C…
Seems like a random thing to add but not necessarily bad.
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### Author:  [@stephtara](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stephtara)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/3 "2026-09-21T17:17:09Z")
Right — can usernames be changed later on? A bit weird for a bunch of francophones to end up looking like a random zoo…
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### Author:  [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/4 "2026-09-21T17:19:00Z")
Yes, they can be changed at sign up and in their user page like normal later. All this has done is given the user an option to not select a name at signup, nothing else has changed, including the ability to select your name at signup.
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### Author:  [@stephtara](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stephtara)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/5 "2026-09-21T17:23:14Z")
Trying to find if I can disable the signup via code. People are not filling in the signup questions and I’m going to have a lot of confused people who have no clue what their username is…
:anxious_face_with_sweat:
Clicked on the link but it leads to « not found »
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:25pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/6 "2026-09-21T17:25:32Z")
> [@stephtara](#):
>
> can usernames be changed later on
Depends on how you define “later.” By default, usernames can only be changed for 3 days after registration (`username_change_period` site setting).
You might also be interested in changing `Random username nouns` and `Random username adjectives` to change the zoo into something that matches your community.
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### Author:  [@stephtara](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stephtara)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/7 "2026-09-21T17:27:08Z")
> [@Moin](#):
>
> usernames can only be changed for 3 days after registration
Ok, that means I definitely need to “force” members to pick their username…
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:27pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/8 "2026-09-21T17:27:58Z")
The settings that enable upcoming changes are hidden as long as the change isn’t permanent. You should be able to find `Enable local logins via code` in the list of upcoming changes
> [@stephtara](#):
>
> Ok, that means I definitely need to « force » members to pick their username…
You can also allow them to edit them for a longer time span. Also admins can still change them
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### Author:  [@darkpixlz](https://meta.discourse.org/u/darkpixlz)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/9 "2026-09-21T17:28:54Z")
> [@stephtara](#):
>
> Clicked on the link but it leads to « not found »
>
> 
It’s probably trying to bring you to the upcoming change instead of site setting and the link is just broken. Try disabling the upcoming change and it should go away but some feedback in the thread I linked might also help.
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### Author:  [@stephtara](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stephtara)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:28pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/10 "2026-09-21T17:28:58Z")
Ah hadn’t realised it was an upcoming change, thanks! Have been off the Discourse grid for a while.
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### Author:  [@pmusaraj](https://meta.discourse.org/u/pmusaraj)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:34pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/11 "2026-09-21T17:34:50Z")
We’re about to switch the random usernames feature to default off in the next few hours, @keegan has a PR up that he will merge soon.
Note that the words used in username generation are configurable, so for a French community, you could use French words there if you would like to keep the feature.
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### Author:  [@stephtara](https://meta.discourse.org/u/stephtara)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:40pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/12 "2026-09-21T17:40:39Z")
Thanks everyone for your help with my little evening panic!
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### Author:  [@Moin](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Moin)
#### Post date: [September 21, 2026, 5:42pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/random-usernames/412934/13 "2026-09-21T17:42:20Z")
Feels like those settings should have defaults based on the locale of the forum. [Locale-specific defaults for site settings (`locale_default`)](https://meta.discourse.org/t/locale-specific-defaults-for-site-settings-locale-default/382521)