Fox
Where's my fanfare?
Welcome to the Official User Name Change Thread. v2.
If you wish to have your name changed, there are a few rules you must follow, most of which are common sense. This may seem lengthy, but you should know most of this already. It is just typed out so that nothing is left ambiguous. This post is here to prevent you from getting into a tangle if you do something wrong. Read it.
Name Change Rules:
Name Change Request Requirements:
Name Change Penalties:
Things not to do:
A few things to know:
How to check to see if you've passed the two month period:
This one is very simple.
If you can't figure out how to search in your browser, or it doesn't have a search feature, you can copy/paste this whole post into a Word Processor (MS Word, MS Works, Notepad, Wordpat, Apple Works, Text Edit, etc.) and search in there.
If you still can't search, you'll have to manually look for your name.
How to check if your requested name is already taken:
This one is a bit trickier, so I've included some pictures to help you. In this example the requested name is "Serebii"
Sorry about the blurry images. Accidentally made all images jpg format.
If you wish to have your name changed, there are a few rules you must follow, most of which are common sense. This may seem lengthy, but you should know most of this already. It is just typed out so that nothing is left ambiguous. This post is here to prevent you from getting into a tangle if you do something wrong. Read it.
Name Change Rules:
- You must keep your new name for two months.
- Make sure you are absolutely sure that you want your name changed to what you requested. Once your name is changed, it will not be changed again for another 2 (two) months unless there is an error made by the person who changed it. Do not try to edit your post after your name is changed because we can see the date you edited it. Also, do not try to delete your post either, as we can also see all deleted posts.
- If you posted a request, and your name hasn't been changed yet, you can edit your post to change your requested name or delete it if you wish to keep your current name. You are responsible to make sure your name is spelled correctly, and that it is in proper capital & lower case letters.
- The name you request must not be a name already owned by someone.
- There is a small tutorial later in this post on how to check to see if it is owned or not.
- If you want a name that is already owned, you must wait until that member is pruned, no matter how inactive that person is.
- Unfortunately, you also may not request the name of a banned user, however, if you request a banned user's name, you will not be penalized for requesting it, since banned names don't show up in search results.
- Requested names must be at a minimum of two characters long, and at a maximum of 26 characters.
- This is a request thread only.
- If you have any questions, send me (Fox) a Private Message, and I will get back to you as soon as possible.
- If you have anny comments, either send a Private Message to the person whomever you wish to comment to, or don't comment at all.
- Please be patient.
- The Admin here cannot always change our members' names every day, and sometimes it will take a week, or even two for the name changes to get done. Please be patient, and don't go sending us Private Messages to try to get it done.
Name Change Request Requirements:
- You must not have changed your name within 2 months prior to posting your new request as explained in Rule 1.
- New members may request a name change at any time, but after that change, they must wait the two months.
- The name you request must not be taken as explained in Rule 2.
- Your post may not have any custom formatting unless otherwise specified.
- This includes, but is not limited to color, font, size, bold, italic, underline, center alignment, right alignment, etc.
- It is very annoying to have to squint or hilight your text just to read what your request is, and makes the process take longer.
- Please use the following format when making your request:
Name: [current name]
Request: [requested name]
any notes go here
Example:
Name: FoxPlease note that when using the colon [noparse]
Request: FoxMcCloud
Thank you!
)[/noparse] you need to put a space after it. If your name starts with a ) D ( or any other characters like that, it'll turn into a smiley.
Name Change Penalties:
- If you fail to wait your two month period, and make a premature request, your name will be listed in the penalty section, and your two month period will be reset from the day that names were changed after your request.
- For example, if you had your name changed last time on June 13th, the next time you will be able to change your name will be on August 13th. However, if you post a request on August 4th and names are changed on August 10th, you must then wait until October 10th to get your name changed.
- If you are lucky enough, and you make a premature request, but names are changed two months after your last change, then you will not be penalized. Using the example above, if names were changed again on August 15th instead, you will not be penalized.
- If the name you request is taken, your two month period will begin from the day names are changed, regardless of whether or not you passed your two month period.
- For example, if you request the name "Serebii" on January 13th, and names are changed on February 1st. If the name had not been pruned by then, your name will be placed on the penalty list, and you won't be able to request a name until April 1st.
- One exception to this is if the member is banned. You will be notified of this in an update, and you will be able to request another name.
- Another exception to this is if the User Name gets registered between the time you request, and the time the names are changed. Unfortunately you will not be able to get the name, but you may request another.
- The third exception is that if its your first time. You will be notified that the name was taken, and will be told to make sure you check to see whether or not the next name you request is taken. If you select another name that's taken, you will recieve the penalty. If you request the same name again, you will recieve double the penalty.
- If you request a name, but you are banned when the names are changed, you will get a two month penalty.
- If your name is already on the penalty list, and you earn another penalty, your waiting period will be extended by 2 months.
- For example, if you are on the penalty list to wait until August 14th, and you make a request on July 30th, and names are changed on July 5th, you will earn another penalty and have to wait until October 30th.
- Penalties are cumulative (they add up). This is only if you haven't cleared them already.
- If you earn five, you will recieve an official warning.
- If you earn six, you will be banned for one week.
- If you earn seven, you will be banned for one month.
- If you earn eight, you will be banned for two years.
- If you pass your penalty period, all prior penalties will be cleared, and you will start over from the beginning (zero penalties).
Things not to do:
- Create a new account to bypass this whole process. You can wind up earning yourself an IP ban if you register more than one account on these forums, even if you didn't do it with mallicious intent. Just be patient, and your name will be changed. Consider the waiting period as a time to reconsider your name change until it's actually changed, because almost, if not half of the people who request a name change, change their request.
- Make a request, then later post stating you changed your mind, and don't want the change, without deleting your initial request post. This may result in you getting your name changed anyway.
- Making a request, then later posting another request without deleting, or editing your original post. This may result in you getting your name changed to what was in your first post.
A few things to know:
- When I (Fox) change names, I copy and paste your request. Make sure you have it spelled correctly, and that it is in a proper case (CAPITAL CASE vs lower case).
- Names are not case sensitive. If there is a user by the name "Serebii", you cannot request "SeReBiI", "serebii", "sErEbIi", etc.
- With the coming of this thread, I (Fox) will no longer be taking requests via Private Message.
- If you requested a name change, and your name wasn't changed, be sure to check the second post of this thread, and/or my update posts in this thread which will tell which names weren't changed and why. If you requested a name change, and it didn't appear in either the second thread, or an update, repost your request and also mention that I missed your request.
How to check to see if you've passed the two month period:
This one is very simple.
- Make sure your browser is on the first page of this thread.
- Press ctrl+f on your keyboard, or go to the Edit menu and select "Search for..." or "Find in..." (differs per browser).
Mac users, pressing Command+f or the "Apple key"+f would be the keyboard shortcuts.Depending on the browser you use, a search box will pop up, or something similar. - Type in your user name, or copy/paste it into the text box, and search for it on the page.
If you can't figure out how to search in your browser, or it doesn't have a search feature, you can copy/paste this whole post into a Word Processor (MS Word, MS Works, Notepad, Wordpat, Apple Works, Text Edit, etc.) and search in there.
If you still can't search, you'll have to manually look for your name.
How to check if your requested name is already taken:
This one is a bit trickier, so I've included some pictures to help you. In this example the requested name is "Serebii"
Sorry about the blurry images. Accidentally made all images jpg format.
- In the picture below, you will notice that there is a menu bar outlined in red. On that bar, there is an option "Member List", outlined in yellow. Click there (on the actual forums, not the image).
- You should now be in the member list now. At the top-right of the list, there is an option; "Search Members" as depicted in the picture, outlined in red. It is a drop-down menu, and if you click it, a text box will drop down. You can then type your requested name or part of the requested name in there, and click "Go".
->
- If the name appears in the list, you cannot request that name. If it doesn't, then it should be fine unless the name is banned.
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