screen name

American

Or screenname

noun

Digital Technology.

a unique sequence of characters that a person chooses to use for identification purposes when interacting with others online, as in computer games, instant messaging, or forums.

Etymology

Origin of screen name

First recorded in 1920–25, for an earlier sense

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

screen name

The trader goes by a default screen name made up of a blockchain address, a long string of numbers and letters.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 5, 2026

"The prize money is too little. It's difficult to make a living playing professionally, full-time," former pro eSports football player Monaco said, asking to use his screen name to avoid online abuse.

From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2025

Almost immediately, I saw her screen name, Stacyface.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 26, 2024

It would be easy for an introvert such as Cates to remain a screen name — to stay Jungleman forever — and keep growing his stack online.

From Washington Post ● May 2, 2023

Leslie doesn’t know him well, and I can’t find a memory of giving a screen name to him.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023