WhatsMyName App: OSINT Username Checker & Profile Finder

The WhatsMyName app serves as a powerful open‑source username enumeration tool. It scans public websites to reveal where a given username appears. Investigators, cybersecurity analysts, journalists, and privacy‑conscious users rely on it to track connections across multiple platforms. The app uses community‑updated rules to detect usernames and link to actual profiles. You can visit the official site at https://whatsmyname.app or explore its full source code on GitHub under the project name “WhatsMyName.” Using this tool helps verify digital identities, map online footprints, and find potential impersonation or fraud cases. Its speed and accessibility make it a go-to for quick OSINT tasks and broad investigations alike.

The Origin and Evolution of WhatsMyName

The WhatsMyName app began as a simple script created by veteran OSINT researcher Micah Hoffman. Early versions aimed to reduce false positives common in manual username checks. Soon, collaborator Chris Poulter and others contributed improvements. Over time, the tool transformed into a full-featured web app. The backbone of this evolution lies in a community‑managed configuration file named wmn-data.json. That file holds detection patterns for hundreds of websites. Volunteers on GitHub regularly update it whenever a site changes layout or adds new restrictions. Consequently, the app maintains broad and up-to-date coverage. Today, it stands as a robust community-driven OSINT resource rather than a one‑time script.

Key Features of WhatsMyName

The WhatsMyName app offers diverse features, each tailored to streamline username enumeration and OSINT research.

Real-time Username Checks: It immediately scans and returns results for entered usernames. No long wait times slow down investigations.
Support for 600+ Platforms: It covers social media, forums, dating sites, gaming communities, code repositories, and niche communities. The broad reach increases chances of discovering digital footprints.
Category Filters: Users can refine searches through categories like “social,” “business,” “dating,” “gaming,” and more. This reduces noise and surfaces relevant results quickly.
Export Options (CSV, PDF, JSON): Investigators can export findings in spreadsheet or structured format. That eases analysis, sharing, or archival work.
NSFW Filter: By default, the app hides adult or questionable content. This filter helps maintain professional and safe outputs.
Automatic Google & Document Searches: Beyond username enumeration, the tool offers integrated Google and document searches using the username. That brings additional context — like blog posts or public records — in one workflow.
Minimalist, Fast UI: The interface uses simple layout and clear icons. Results show as clickable icons plus a sortable table. The design keeps speed and clarity as priorities.
Open-Source Transparency: Since the app relies on community contributions, users can review code, contribute updates, or audit detection logic. That transparency fosters trust and allows peer review.

How to Use the WhatsMyName App (Step-by-Step)

Open your browser and go to https://whatsmyname.app. Ensure you use the official domain to avoid scams.
Enter one or multiple usernames in the search box. You can separate multiple entries with commas.
Optionally choose category filters to narrow down your scope (social, gaming, business, etc.).
Press the green search icon or hit Ctrl + Enter to start scanning. The tool runs through its platform list in real‑time through your browser.
Watch results populate on the left as icons, and in a detailed table on the right. The table shows the platform name, profile URL, and status indicators (found, ambiguous, not found).
Click any green result to open the corresponding profile in a new tab. Always verify manually to avoid false positives.
When done, click “Export” to download results as CSV, JSON, or PDF for documentation or deeper analysis.
Note: the first time you use the tool, it might prompt a CAPTCHA and set cookies. Using privacy-focused browsers or clearing cookies afterward helps maintain anonymity.

Why Username Enumeration Matters in OSINT

Username enumeration often proves a critical first step in linking digital identities across platforms. Many people reuse the same or similar handles across forums, social media, code platforms, or marketplace sites. Discovering a username such as “jon_doe93” on GitHub, Instagram, Reddit, and a forum under similar usernames and comparable profile data suggests that the same individual uses all accounts. That kind of cross‑platform linkage helps analysts trace avatars, detect impersonation, or uncover coordinated harmful activity like scams or trolling. In brand protection contexts, enumeration helps catch impostor accounts or fake profiles. For law enforcement or investigative journalism, enumeration supports building evidence for identity, behavior patterns, or online alias networks. Overall, tools like the WhatsMyName app help transform scattered online traces into coherent identity maps, making OSINT faster and more effective.

Is WhatsMyName Safe and Legal to Use?

Privacy Considerations

The WhatsMyName app relies solely on publicly available data. It never requires account creation or personal credentials. As a result, using it does not expose sensitive personal data. However, when you click external profile links, those external sites may track you. For better privacy, use a VPN or a privacy‑focused browser. Always avoid entering personal passwords or sensitive data into unknown pages.

Security of the Tool

The app delivers its pages over HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate. Its source remains hosted on GitHub. Community contributors regularly audit and maintain the detection list (wmn-data.json). So far, no reported security breaches or data leaks have emerged. The code does not store your search history or export data unless you explicitly save it. Hence, using the tool carries minimal inherent risk.

Ethical and Legal Use

Legality depends on how users employ the tool. Using the WhatsMyName app to investigate public usernames, verify your own profiles, or detect fraud generally remains lawful in most jurisdictions. Misusing it — stalking, doxxing, or intrusive surveillance — can violate privacy laws (like GDPR or CCPA) or platform terms of service. Ethical guidelines recommend only public‑data research and respecting user consent and privacy at all times.

WhatsMyName Alternatives (With Comparison)

Here’s a quick comparison of popular open‑source OSINT tools alongside WhatsMyName app:

Tool	Platform Support	Technical Skill	Export	Open Source	Best For
WhatsMyName	600+ sites	Low	Yes	Yes	Quick username enumeration
Sherlock	~400 sites	Medium (CLI)	Yes	Yes	Script-based workflows
Blackbird OSINT	~574 sites	Medium	Yes	Yes	AI‑assisted metadata searches
SpiderFoot	200+ modules	Advanced	Yes	Yes	Deep footprinting & reconnaissance
Recon‑ng	Custom modules	High	Yes	Yes	Professional pen-testing & OSINT

Each tool offers unique strengths. For rapid username checks, WhatsMyName app remains easiest. For deeper analysis or automation, tools like SpiderFoot or Recon‑ng prove more powerful.

Real OSINT Use Cases With WhatsMyName

Security researchers sometimes spot reused usernames across scam forums and dark‑web marketplaces. By enumerating these handles with WhatsMyName app, they trace scam campaigns across multiple sites. Brand managers use it to find impersonator accounts pushing fake products under a brand’s name. Journalists sometimes track anonymous sources by mapping usernames across social media and code platforms. Even individuals audit their own digital footprint to find forgotten accounts, mitigate identity theft risks, or consolidate online presence. Across all these cases, the app’s speed, coverage, and simplicity make it invaluable.

Best Practices for OSINT Using WhatsMyName

☑ Always use a VPN or private browser when probing usernames to avoid IP logging and tracking.
☑ Treat each hit as a lead, not confirmation. Always open each profile and verify details manually.
☑ Cross‑reference findings with other OSINT tools like Maltego or SpiderFoot to strengthen evidence.
☑ Follow ethical guidelines: only use public data, respect user privacy, and avoid malicious intent.
☑ Secure exported data. Store CSV or JSON files encrypted when handling sensitive research or investigations.

Using these habits helps ensure responsible and reliable OSINT practice.

How to Contribute to the WhatsMyName Project

The WhatsMyName app survives thanks to its community. You can contribute by:

Submitting new website detection rules via GitHub issues.
Updating or fixing broken site patterns in wmn-data.json.
Reporting bugs or layout changes through official issue trackers.
Joining community chats or forums to discuss updates, new platforms, or automation tasks.

The official repository lives at github.com/WebBreacher/WhatsMyName. Community engagement keeps the tool alive and accurate.

Limitations and Challenges

Despite its strengths, the WhatsMyName app faces several limitations. It often misses major sites like Facebook or X due to bot detection or platform restrictions. Some sites block automated enumeration entirely. CAPTCHA prompts or anti‑scraping tools can cause failed scans. At times, the site may spin indefinitely or crash under heavy load — as experienced by some users in 2024. Results can include false positives or outdated data, especially when usernames become inactive or profiles go private. Finally, reliance on public data means hidden or private accounts remain inaccessible. Researchers should always combine enumeration with manual verification and context analysis.

Conclusion: Should You Use WhatsMyName?

The WhatsMyName app offers a fast, free, and open‑source path into username enumeration. It provides broad coverage, simple UI, and export options that suit both beginners and professionals. When used ethically and responsibly, it helps map online identity landscapes, uncover impersonation, and track digital footprints. However, users must recognize its limitations — missing major platforms, possible false results, and reliance on public data. By combining the app with other OSINT tools, rigorous verification, and ethical practices, you can unlock great value. For anyone seeking to understand or manage online presence, the WhatsMyName app remains a powerful and reliable resource.