One of the great advantages of using the Kik Messenger app is that you do not need to use your real name or give anybody your telephone number in order to chat to them. Instead, with Kik Messenger you will just need to use a unique user name to chat to any of your contacts.
Kik Messenger users are free to pick up their own user names. It could basically anything they choose. The only problem with this is that some people might struggle to come up with a unique user name. With hundreds of millions of Kik users around the world, it is more that slightly possible that the user name you pick out would have already been selected by somebody else.
We are aware that this may be difficult, which is why we have decided to create a tutorial for new Kik Messenger users who may be struggling with this problem. If you have used the Kik Messenger app for quite some time and would like to change your Kik user name, the information on this article would also be good for you so read on for some tips and guidance.
What Makes A Good Kik User Name
Username (noun)- a name someone goes by online
Before we go into what you could do if you cannot find a Kik user name that has already been taken, let’s spend some time looking at what makes a really good Kik Messenger user name.
First of all, make sure that your user name is unusual enough that nobody else would have taken it. We know that this is easier said than done but what we want to emphasize is that you should not expect the first thing that pops into your mind and expect it to stick. It is really worth spending some time thinking about your Kik Messenger user name. If you do not feel like you have an imagination that is vivid enough or you are not sure what we mean, do not worry; what follows is a list of tips that should help you to come up with a good Kik user name:
- Make the most of the Kik Messenger app in terms of privacy by choosing a user name that bears no relation whatsoever with your real name or any nickname that you may be known as at home or at school. What this means in effect is that you should not use your initials, any part of your real name, or anything that sounds remotely like you. What we would recommend if you really want to keep your real identity a secret is to select a random collection of numbers and letters. Again do not select a combination of sounds and letters that could be read as an actual word; make it something random, instead.
- If you do not want to make your user name something totally random and characterless but you still want to keep your identity private, then think about your unique hobbies. If you have a particular hobby or belong to a fandom, you can choose something that relates to it. Of course, the more niche and specific, the better. Otherwise, somebody else may have already taken.
- Related to the last point, if you want to use the Kik Messenger app to chat about a specific topic (for example, sports or music), you could choose something that relates to it. That way, you could make new like-minded friends a lot easier, which is one of the best things about using this instant messaging app.
As you can see, these tips still give you a lot of freedom when it comes to choosing your own username. Do not think of them as “instructions”, they are just mere suggestions designed in order to enable to come back with a good, distinctive, and safe Kik user name.
What Is the Difference Between A Kik User Name And A Kik Display Name?
So, some people may not realize that you actually have two names on Kik Messenger. At least, potentially for there is no reason why those two names could not be one and the same. Here are the differences between your Kik user name and your Kik display name:
- Kik User name: a Kik Messenger user name is the name that will identify you on the instant messaging app but only to a certain extent. What we mean by this is that your Kik user name is the name people must know in order to find you and add you to their chat lists. Every Kik user name has to be unique as not two Kik users can share the same one.
- Display name: a Kik Messenger display name is the name that “displays” on the screen, so it is usually the name your Kik friends will know you by. Here you are absolutely free to choose anything you like. Our only advice is that you pick something that shows people something positive about your personality. You can also always pick your own real name as your display name if you are okay with this as only your Kik friends will be able to see it.
Reasons to Change Your Kik User Name
Even if you already have a Kik user name it may still come a time when you could decide to change your user name. If you are not sure why you could consider changing your user name, in this sections we will give you a list of reasons why some Kik Messenger users decide to go down that route:
- You are not satisfied with your original Kik Messenger user name. Perhaps this is because you just did not think much about it and picked the first thing that you came across and that was not already taken by someone else. Whatever the reason, the important thing is for you to know that you can easily change your user name at any time and as often as you would like or need to.
- You are being threatened or bullied by someone on Kik Messenger. We wish this kind of scenario would never arise but, unfortunately, pretty much anyone could open an account with Kik Messenger so these situations can and do occur from time to time. Now, you must know if that is someone is bullying you on Kik Messenger or if you just do not like talking to someone who makes you uncomfortable you can (and should) block them. You can also report them to Kik or to the relevant authorities if necessary. If you want to feel safer you can also change your user name to something completely different so that the person bothering you will not be able to track you down ever again.
Do You Want to Change Your Kik User Name?
So, if reading the previous section of this article (or for any other reason) you have decided that go ahead and change your Kik Messenger user name these are the steps you will need to follow. But before you do this, just a word of caution: the only way to create a new user name is to deactivate your current account and create a new one. For this you will need to use a different email address as we explain in the following steps:
- You will need to make sure that you make a list of all your Kik friends and their user names as you will need to re add them after you have changed your Kik Messenger user name.
- Once you are confident that you will be able to find your Kik friends again easily you will need to go ahead and deactivate your account. In order to do this you will need to head over to the Kik Messenger app, and go into your settings.
- Once in your settings find “Your Account” and tap on it.
- Then, choose the “Reset Kik Messenger” option.
- Check your emails for a message from Kik Messenger containing a link to deleting your account. Click on that link and follow the onscreen instructions.
- Only once your original Kik Messenger account has been deleted will you be able to create a new Kik user name.
- Head over to the Kik Messenger app again but instead of login in as usual tap on the “create new account” button.
- When you sign up to Kik Messenger, you will need to use a different email address. Otherwise, Kik Messenger will claim that you already have an account with them and will not allow you to change your user name.
If you cannot find a user name that has already been taken, the first thing that you could try is to modify it slightly by adding some extra numbers or letters, this normally does the trick. Remember that the more random your user name, the better. You can also use a better name as your display name.
We hope that you have found our guidance informative and helpful. How did you come up with your Kik user name? Have you ever changed your user name? And, if so, why? If you have any extra advice for people who are either new to the Kik app or who may be considering changing their user names, please do not forget to leave a comment below.