Name changes revert on zombie threads

[AnOnly]

Hi there
I have suspected for a little while that when a poster posts, and then changes their name later on, old threads show that name change.

So the thread might be started by "dimples" then at some later date they change their name, which changes it on older threads.

I hope I'm wrong but a recent link to an old thread clearly refers to the poster by a different name to the one shown. I don't think I'm making sense but I can pm you examples and you can let me know if I'm barking up the wrong tree?

It would completely defeat the point of name changing if all your old posts changed to the new name automatically.

I name change quite a lot, but if I go back to old threads I was on, it shows the name I was using at the time I posted.

Well this made me panic!
I frequently change names to prevent friends/co workers realising it’s me. My old posts are still in previous names.

I have noticed some posters, who may have NC for posting, sometimes slip up, forget to NC and post later on in a different name. Could it be that?

It's never happened to me, I do spot myself under old names on long or old threads sometimes.

Fair enough. I realise the most recent bit of "evidence" I had is completely flawed, so please ignore me. I shall keep a closer eye on old threads in the future and see if they refer to the OP as the same name showing their replies.

Sorry if I have caused alarm.

Hi there,

Just to confirm that if a user changes their name, that does not apply to historical posts.

Occasionally users contact us asking us to retrospectively change their name on old posts, for example if they risk being identified in real life or if they have forgotten to use a particular username on a post, so that might explain what you're referring to.

Hope this helps!

Thanks @Rivka. I knew I'd seen it happen but what you've said explains why. It means I'm not going completely lockdown crazy.