NickName history - can someone use your old name?

[DapperDanMan]

that's it really! Grateful of advice/confirmation.

TIA.

No they can't generally.

There have sometimes been name auctions where names that either had never been used or hadn't been used for a long time were auctioned off for a good cause but I'm not sure whether people were contacted about it. Have you been trying to use an old name and not able to?

No, names can't be reused - I have tried (but failed) to revive a name I had before I deregistered but it comes up as 'taken'.

Thanks both. Just that I have "seen" a poster with a v v similar name to one of my old ones, and it got me thinking- thanks.

This is why you shouldn't flounce
Maud, we sometimes, when it's not halfterm and when we are feeling nice, can return a flouncer's nickname if they ask very nicely and send me chocolate
OP - QED is correct, afaik unlikely that we will do an auction again.
HTH

Thanks Olivia.

I was getting concerned that the other poster was in fact me and I had a split personality without realising it, because I couldnt for the life of me remember anything about the post! Err that would be because it wasn't me. Dur.

Olivia - I didn't flounce. I tried but failed miserably to wean myself off MN by going cold turkey. How wrong I was.

The thing is, I'm in the same position as DapperDanMan - which is a fantastic name in itself, if I may say so - in that there is a new MNer or name-changer who is now using (in effect) my old name, the only difference being that one has the definite article at the front and the other doesn't. I'm mildly concerned that anyone who remembers my old name will think that she is me but if I name-changed back it would make any confusion (which may not happen anyway) worse. I will just take it as confirmation of what a brilliant name it was!

CITGM - why thank you for nice things said about my name
I name change whenever I think I could be identified in RL by my posts, I am always sad when I leave behind a particularly good name! Hoping I can keep my trap shut this one sticks for a while.

I have never worked out how to get an 'old' name back from my history. Recently name changed [bit concerned this one is a bit twee!] will miss my old name but just felt given too much away over time. Shame.

DapperDanMan - You remind me of one of my favourite films but surely you should be giving a charming and slightly goofy smile rather than giggling?

Anyway, when I think Olivia might be in a good mood, I might ask for another of my old, old names back.

Can you have two mumsnet accounts?

One - favourite name, never changed, careful how many people you piss off what you give away in your posts.

Two - regular name changes to cover your tracks from people who hate your opinionated rantings preserve your privacy.

I'm in the same position as you OP. I name-change when I've given away too much personal info or someone in RL finds out my current NN.

I recently did a search for my posts under an old name but accidentally misspelled it by one letter. I thought was going mad as I couldn't remember posting those things!

@DaisyAndConfused

Can you have two mumsnet accounts?

One - favourite name, never changed, careful how many people you piss off what you give away in your posts.

Two - regular name changes to cover your tracks from people who hate your opinionated rantings preserve your privacy.

Er, no you can't. And if we found out that you did, we would wonder what you were up to.

But you are most welcome to namechange as many times as you like - within your one and only Mumsnet account.

Hmmm my cunning plan is ruined. Will have to be careful what I say then!

But you don't need two mumsnet accounts because you can't link different names to each other (unless you are MNHQ)

If you name change, can you go back to your old name? I have only changed from my newbie name to this name and often wondered if you can.

Mona as long as you don't de-register you can name change as often as you want. Once you have a nickname it's yours and you can go between them at will.

As MNHQ are well aware, I have several NNs. I use them to keep different parts of my life upon which I from time to time want advice separate so that I can't be identified in RL.

Thanks for that Hope :)