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Claiming A Dead Username #191685
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🏷️ Discussion TypeQuestion 💬 Feature/Topic AreaProfile BodyHello there, I am looking to see if it is possible to claim a dead/dormant username that hasn't had any activity since 2010 If so I'd love to claim it. |
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Replies: 5 comments
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GitHub won't do it. Their policy is strict: they don't release or reassign dormant usernames, no matter how long they've been inactive. You'll have to pick a different one or add a prefix/suffix to the one you want. |
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Hi! Unfortunately, inactive or long-unused usernames cannot be automatically claimed. If you want to try getting it, you should contact the platform’s support team. |
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GitHub's policy on this has been consistent for years: they don't release or reassign dormant usernames, no matter how long the account has been inactive. An account from 2010 with zero activity still belongs to whoever registered it. The workaround most people use is adding something to the name: a prefix like One exception worth knowing: if the username matches a trademark your company owns, you can file a trademark infringement request through GitHub's legal process. That sometimes works for organizations with real trademark documentation, but doesn't apply to personal names. There's no waiting list, no formal request process, and support tickets won't change it either. |
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Hi @NovaDevvvv We are no longer accepting requests to release dormant usernames. We are not able to accommodate this request. If you hold a trademark to this name and believe there is a clear case of confusion between the account and your trademark, please review our Trademark Policy to determine if you should submit a trademark policy violation report. Thank you! |
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GitHub does not generally release or reassign usernames from inactive or dormant accounts. Even if an account has had no activity for a long time, the username typically remains reserved for that account. We recommend choosing an alternative username that closely matches your preference. |
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GitHub's policy on this has been consistent for years: they don't release or reassign dormant usernames, no matter how long the account has been inactive. An account from 2010 with zero activity still belongs to whoever registered it.
The workaround most people use is adding something to the name: a prefix like
the-,dev-,real-, or a suffix like-dev,-hq,-io. Not ideal, but it's what's available.One exception worth knowing: if the username matches a trademark your company owns, you can file a trademark infringement request through GitHub's legal process. That sometimes works for organizations with real trademark documentation, but doesn't apply to personal names.
There's no waiting li…