SmashWiki:Changing one's username

This page documents an official SmashWiki policy, a widely accepted standard that all users should follow. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. If in doubt, consider discussing changes on the talk page.

Users on SmashWiki have the privilege of changing their username. While it is a simple process, there are a few restrictions on its use, as name changes can introduce a lot of confusion if handled improperly.

Name change procedure

As said above, the process of getting a rename is rather simple.

1. Contact a bureaucrat on their talk page, creating a new section with a title akin to "Rename request". Clearly state what you wish your exact new name to be, preferably in "quote marks". Providing a reason is preferred but not required.
2. The bureaucrat should acknowledge your request, but not do anything.
3. After a short period of time (such as a few days), post again in the section stating that you wish to confirm the name change.
   • If at this point, you decide to use a different name again, the process must be repeated from step 2.
4. The bureaucrat should then follow through with the rename process, which will automatically rename the user and move all userpages accordingly.
5. The user is then expected to edit their userpages and signature to suit their new name.

Requiring users to wait a short while before confirming the request is done to ensure that no name changes are done on a whim - they should be well thought-out as a serious commitment. If you forget to perform the confirmation process, perhaps you don't want the name change that much after all.

Note that in the case of fixing an inappropriate username, the rename should go through immediately, bypassing steps 2 and 3.

Restrictions

To avoid abusing the rename process, and to minimize the confusion created upon a name change, a few restrictions are in place.

1. Users may not change their name if they have already done so in the past six months.
   • This may be overlooked if the user wishes to go back to their previous name, though this is unlikely to be allowed more than once.
2. Users may not change their name to one that has been vacated by another user.
3. Bureaucrats have the right to deny a name change request for any other reason, though they must give a reasonable explanation as to why.