user name
user name
(operating system, security)Users need to identify themselves for accounting, security,logging, and resource management. Usually a person mustalso enter a password in order to access a service. Oncethe user has logged on the operating system will often use a(short) user identifier, e.g. an integer, to refer to themrather than their user name.
User names can usually be any short string of alphanumericcharacters. Common choices are first name, initials, or somecombination of first name, last name, initials and anarbitrary number. User names are often assigned by system administrators according to some local policy, or they may bechosen by the users themselves.
User names are often also used as mailbox names inelectronic mail addresses.