Display name is a name that is shown to other people on a website, app, game, or online platform.
For example, you can see display names on social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, TikTok, and YouTube, as well as on other websites, dating websites, dating apps, forums, and online communities. So, in simple terms, a display name is the name that is shown to other people online.
Why Do We Need a Display Name?
In Online platforms, many people care about their privacy. They don’t always want to show their real name to everyone.
For example, if you are using Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, or another online platform, you may sometimes have to verify your identity or provide your real name to the platform.
But that doesn’t mean you want everyone on the platform to see your real name. You may want the platform administrator or company to know your real identity, while other users only see the name you choose to display. That is where a display name comes in.
A display name does not necessarily have to be your real name. It can be any name that you want other people to see.
Is A Display Name and Username Same?
No. A display name and a username are not the same.
As we talked about before, a username is usually a unique identity that you use on a particular online platform. ItΒ is often required for logging in, finding your account, or identifying your account. Because it needs to be unique, two people generally cannot have exactly the same username on the same platform.
But a display name is different, itΒ can be the same for hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people.
For example, your display name could be Rocky Singh, while your username could be rocky789.
Another person could also have the display name Rocky Singh, but their username might be rocky786.
So, you can see that the display name does not always have to be unique, while the username have to.
Difference Between a Personal Name, Display Name, and Username
A personal name is the name that given to you, when you are born. Your parents give you this name, and it used on official documents such as your birth certificate, school documents, passport, driver’s license, and other government documents. Where a display name and a username, are names that you use on online platforms.
For example, on websites, forums, and social media platforms like Facebook, you can choose a display name that you want to other people to see.
That display name does not have to be your real name because people may not want to show their real identity.
For example, someone’s original name could be Rahul Singh, but their display name could be Rocky Singh.
Their username could then be something like rockysingh786.
As I mentioned, a username is generally a unique name made up of letters, numbers, or both. On platforms like Facebook, there can be millions of users, and many people can have the same personal name or display name but username always stay unique to each other.
Why Do People Use Display Names?
There are many reasons why people use display names. For many people, social media or the online world feels like another part of their life. They may say things, express opinions, or do things online that are different from what they do in the real world.
Because of that, they choose to use a different display name.
For example, in real life, someone might be Kundan Singh. But in the online world, people might know him as Rocky Singh, and his username could be something like rocky111.
So, you can basically understand what is happening here.
His personal name is Kundan Singh.
His display name is Rocky Singh.
His username is rocky111.
These three names can be completely different, and each one has a different purpose.
Another example is a person who is afraid of talking or expressing themselves in real life. Online, they may feel more comfortable using a display name because they don’t have to reveal their real identity.
That is one of the reasons display names are so common on the internet.