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Latest revision as of 09:34, 13 January 2025

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This page is for bringing attention to usernames which may be in violation of Misplaced Pages's username policy. Before listing a username here, consider if it should be more appropriately reported elsewhere, or if it needs to be reported at all:

• Report blatantly inappropriate usernames, such as usernames that are obscene or inflammatory, to Misplaced Pages:Usernames for administrator attention.
• For other cases involving vandalism, personal attacks or other urgent issues, try Misplaced Pages:Administrators' noticeboard/Incidents; blatant vandalism can also be reported at Misplaced Pages:Administrator intervention against vandalism, which is sometimes a better option.

Do NOT post here if:

• the user in question has made no recent edits.
• you wish to have the block of a user reviewed. Instead, discuss the block with the blocking administrator (see also Misplaced Pages:Blocking policy § Unblocking).

Before adding a name here you MUST ensure that the user in question:

• has been warned about their username (with e.g. {{subst:uw-username}}) and has been allowed time to address the concern on their user talk page.
• has disagreed with the concern, refused to change their username and/or continued to edit without replying to the warning.
• is not already blocked.

If, after having followed all the steps above, you still believe the username violates Misplaced Pages's username policy, you may list it here with an explanation of which part of the username policy you think has been violated. After posting, please alert the user of the discussion (with e.g. {{subst:UsernameDiscussion}}). You may also invite others who have expressed concern about the username to comment on the discussion by use of this template.

Add new requests below, using the syntax {{subst:rfcn1|username|2=reason ~~~~}}.

Tools: Special:ListUsers, Special:BlockList

Reports

Please remember that this is not a vote, rather, it is a place where editors can come when they are unsure what to do with a username, and to get outside opinions (hence it's named "requests for comment"). There are no set time limits to the period of discussion.

Place your report below this line. Please put new reports on the top of the list.

TheGEICOgecko

The following discussion is an archived debate of the username below. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Misplaced Pages talk:Requests for comment/User names). No further edits should be made to this section.

The result was: allow. The concerns of Kingturtle are noted, but they are the only participant in this discussion that finds issue with the user's name; while it is the name of a specific character, the edits are not implying that they are a representative of the company and thus the exception clause of the username policy is still being followed. Primefac (talk) 09:34, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

TheGEICOgecko (talk · contribs)

I have been informed that my username is inappropriate (to non-American users unfamiliar with the username, it is a reference to "The GEICO gecko", the mascot of the car insurance company, GEICO). When I first made my account, I believe I was clearly following username policy, as I steered clear from anything that might even remotely be seen as promotional by not editing any car insurance related articles, and I am not affiliated with the company in any way. However, reading the username policy again, at least it's fairly different from what I recall, more explicitly saying that any mention of a company is not allowed.

I just want to confirm here whether my username truly breaks username policy. The username is something I would really like to keep and is something I use a lot, and I would like to put extra effort to ensure the username change is necessary. In particular, according to WP:USERSTAGENAME, a stage name, pen name, or other nickname that uniquely identifies someone can be considered appropriate, even if it might otherwise be a promotional name. I use variations of "the geico gecko" (e.g., TheGEICOgecko, thegeicogecko, The GEICO gecko, etc) as my online name pretty much everywhere that I've been allowed to, including social media sites, and more official settings like medical, financial, and educational institution websites, among others. It is effectively the name I go by as far as my online prescence is concerned, and hope that I can keep my name for that reason. If needed, I can give proof of this usage. To my knowledge (though of course I could be mistaken about this), I am the only person on the Internet that widely uses this name, as I have found success claiming the username on a number of websites with a large base of users. Therefore, I would argue it falls under the requiremenet that the name "The GEICO gecko" is a nickname uniquely identifiable to one person, me. Therefore, the username "TheGEICOgecko" would be allowed.

Additionally, I will paste here what I have on my profile page, which is what I would continue to ensure to adhere by, in order to avoid any slightest possibility that my account is used for promotional purposes in favor of the company:

"I do not work for GEICO, am not associated with GEICO, and am in no way sponsored by GEICO. My username refers to a car insurance company in the same way one would make a username referring to any other object or concept, and I have decided to make a username referring to GEICO. To avoid any controversy concerning my username, I will abstain from editing, adding, or otherwise directly interacting with any articles relating to car insurance." TheGEICOgecko (talk) 05:37, 10 January 2025 (UTC)

• Allow This seems fine to me. * Pppery * _{it has begun...} 05:49, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
• Allow. It's fine to me, provided that you don't edit articles that relate to (non-health) insurance and/or Berkshire Hathaway. If you do start to go down that road, it might be a bit confusing for editors, and I would advise either a declared alt be used or a username change occur. — Red-tailed hawk _(nest) 06:31, 10 January 2025 (UTC)

  Kingturtle, who is the individual who wrote to TheGEICOgecko and prompted them to make an RfC, has been informed of this discussion. They had not been made aware of this discussion by talk page message until today. — Red-tailed hawk _(nest) 01:10, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

• Allow. There is nothing in the username policy that says a username cannot be that of a fictional character, even one that is used in advertising. I think Red-tailed hawk's advice is sound. 331dot (talk) 09:31, 10 January 2025 (UTC)
• Disallow. The policy explicitly prohibits usernames that include the names of companies, organizations, or products. The GEICO gecko is directly associated with GEICO, a well-known car insurance company. Even if the user is not affiliated with the company, the name itself inherently references a company mascot, which could imply association or promotion.

Also, the username could be perceived as promotional, regardless of the TheGEICOgecko’s intentions or actions. There's the part on the policy page that says "appear intended to advertise, promote, sell, gain support, or increase the attention or user-base audience of any person, company, market, product, channel, website, or other good or service." If it can appear intended, then it cannot be used. It's the appearance of it seeming that way. The mere reference to a commercial mascot might lead others to assume a connection, which is something the policy aims to avoid.

In regards to the stage name idea, the allowance for nicknames or pen names typically applies to unique, personal identifiers that don't evoke brands, organizations, or promotional content.

TheGEICOgecko has definitely demonstrated good faith by abstaining from editing car insurance-related articles and including the profile page disclaimer. However, the policy isn't about intent or behavior alone; it's also about the appearance and implications of the username itself. I am fully confident that TheGEICOgecko does not intend any relationship with the company, but the company's mascot is part of Geico's advertising campaign to promote, sell, gain support, or increase the attention to their product. The mascot is neither defunct or out of commission. The mascot continues to be in heavy rotation in their ad campaigns.

TheGEICOgecko, I know how frustrating it must feel to be asked to change something that feels like part of your online identity. It's just how I understand the policy. :/ Kingturtle = (talk) 02:55, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

You've written above that The policy explicitly prohibits usernames that include the names of companies, organizations, or products. But that's not quite true; the guidance is a bit narrower than that. It bans Usernames that unambiguously represent the name of a company, organization, website, product, musical group or band, team, club, creative group, or organized event are banned, but also notes that usernames that contain such names are sometimes permissible.

The question then becomes whether or not the username is an unambiguous representation of a company, and I think the answer's that this isn't one of those cases because of the editing pattern. The username TonyTheTiger (a longstanding user with over 400K edits; see Tony the Tiger for the mascot) seems fairly analogous to the situation we're facing here—it is the literal verbatim name of a corporate mascot with the spaces removed, but it's not clearly a representation of the company who owns that mascot. — Red-tailed hawk _(nest) 04:08, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

While TheGEICOgecko asserts good faith and has avoided editing car insurance-related articles, the policy isn't solely about actual intent but also about avoiding the appearance of promotional intent. A username like TheGEICOgecko, which directly references a specific corporate mascot that is still actively used by the GEICO, is inherently promotional in its phrasing and association, regardless of the user's actions or disclaimers. The phrase "appear intended" in the policy underscores that even the potential for perceived promotion is a concern.

The username TheGEICOgecko is strongly associated with GEICO, a well-known car insurance company. Unlike a general term like "The Green Gecko," this username explicitly ties the user to a unique, copyrighted character owned by a for-profit corporation. Even if the user is not directly representing or promoting GEICO, the inherent connection is unambiguous to most users (I mean that TheGEICOgecko is widely and immediately recognized as a direct reference to a specific corporate mascot), and this association could reflect poorly on Misplaced Pages's commitment to neutrality and avoiding commercial influence.

Misplaced Pages usernames are intended to represent individuals, not entities or brands, and the inclusion of a specific corporate mascot's name risks blurring this line.

IMHO, Kingturtle = (talk) 04:29, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

So, in your analysis, would TonyTheTiger be a permissible name? And if so, where is the dividing line? — Red-tailed hawk _(nest) 04:33, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

The username TonyTheTiger omits any explicit mention of a corporation. This omission could make it less likely to be perceived as representing the company itself, even if it is associated with the mascot.

Also, there could be other Tony the Tigers that are not associated with Kellogg's, but there is only one GEICO gecko. Tony the Tiger is a name that could plausibly refer to other individuals, fictional characters, or playful personas. In contrast, TheGEICOgecko is exclusively tied to the GEICO mascot. There are no other widely known interpretations or uses of this name, making it an inherently corporate reference. Kingturtle = (talk) 04:41, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

• Allow - (edit conflict) I have to disagree with Kingturtle's assessment. Per WP:PROMONAME, usernames that contain such names are sometimes permissible; see § Usernames implying shared use below. And to quote WP:ISU, usernames are acceptable if they contain a company or group name but are clearly intended to denote an individual person, such as Mark at WidgetFactory, Jack Smith at the XYZ Foundation, FacebookFanatic87, etc. I believe this username falls into this category. - ZLEA _T\ 04:11, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

  The policy examples of "Mark at WidgetFactory" and "Jack Smith at the XYZ Foundation" explicitly combine an individual’s identity with a company or organization, which clarifies that the account represents a single person. These usernames avoid creating the impression that the account is an extension of the organization itself.

  In contrast, TheGEICOgecko does not include any identifier that signals individuality. Instead, it is the verbatim name of a corporate mascot, which inherently represents the company itself. This lack of personalization makes it more likely to be perceived as tied to GEICO than as a personal identifier. The username isn't "Mark at GEICO" or "Jack Smith at GEICO." It's TheGEICOgecko. The inclusion of "GEICO" and "gecko" in the username directly references a trademarked corporate mascot. IMHO, Kingturtle = (talk) 04:34, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

• Allow Clearly a reference to a specific fictional character, which is apparently allowed as I registered this username eighteen years ago. As others have stated, there is no blanket porhibition on the name of an organization being part of a username that identifies an individual. Beeblebrox 04:16, 13 January 2025 (UTC)

The above discussion is preserved as an archive of the debate. Please do not modify it. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as the entries talk page). No further edits should be made to this page.

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