Google+ opens up to nicknames

INTERNET GIANT Google has started letting Google+ users use nicknames and pseudonyms.

This is an about turn for Google, which initially said that Google+ would not allow nicknames. However it is good news for anyone that goes by the alternative names, like celebrities, and people that like to come across as funny.

"With Google+, we aspire to make online sharing more like sharing in the real world. And during the Google+ signup process, we've asked users to select the name they commonly use in real life," says a post from the firm's Bradley Horowitz that suggests that some users are not signing up for Google+ because they cannot use their desired moniker.

"Since launch we've listened closely to community feedback on our names policy, as well as reviewed our own data regarding signup completion. The vast majority of users sail through our signup process - in fact, only about 0.1 per cent submit name appeals," he added.

Google has found that almost two-thirds of failures are down to people that want to use their nicknames, and another 20 per cent want to use a pseudonym or another unconventional name. The others are people just doing it wrong.

"Today we're pleased to be launching features that will address and remedy the majority of these issues," said Horowitz.

"Over the next week, we'll be adding support for alternate names - be they nicknames, maiden names, or names in another script - alongside your common name. This name will show up on your Google+ profile and in the hovercards which appear over your name. In the next few weeks, we'll be displaying it more broadly as part of your name in other areas of Google+ as well."

If you want to use an alternate name and are an existing Google+ member, you can select "edit profile" and "more options". µ