WhatsMyName Alternatives for Username Search (2026)

Updated: October 2026 · 175+ platforms searched

Quick Answer: The Best WhatsMyName Alternatives

WhatsMyName is one of the most trusted free username tools, so the right alternative depends on what it is missing for you:

• You also have a name or an email: Lullar (free, browser, no signup) takes a name, email or username, checks the username on about 60 sites automatically and gives one-click searches on 175+ platforms, including regional networks such as VK and Weibo.
• You want more sites in the browser: WhatsMyName Apps, an independent site, says it checks 3,450+ sites.
• You want the most sites and can install Python: Maigret, which its project says supports about 5,900 sites.
• You want a scriptable checker: Sherlock (400+ networks, the project says) or Blackbird, which also takes an email.
• You are checking whether a handle is free to claim: Namechk.
• You need the person, not the accounts: Spokeo (paid).

What WhatsMyName Is

WhatsMyName was started in 2015 by Micah Hoffman (WebBreacher) because, as the project puts it, existing username checkers were full of false positives. Today it is a community-maintained dataset, a JSON file the project says covers 700+ websites, released under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Since May 2023 the project maintains only the data; separate tools run the checks.

The best-known of those tools is whatsmyname.app, a free web interface built by OSINT Combine with Micah Hoffman. It takes several usernames at once, filters by category, and exports results to CSV or PDF. The dataset only includes sites that are public with no login wall and that put the username directly in the profile address, which is why its hits are reliable.

One thing worth knowing: many tools are built on the WhatsMyName data, including Blackbird, a SpiderFoot module and Maltego transforms. Switching to one of them often means the same site list with a different interface, so if you want genuinely different results, pick a tool with its own list.

Comparison Table: WhatsMyName and Its Alternatives

Site counts are what each project or company states on its own site or GitHub page, checked in October 2026.

Browser Alternatives: Lullar, WhatsMyName Apps and UserSearch

Lullar uses its own site list rather than the WhatsMyName data, so it is a genuine second opinion. Type a username and it checks about 60 sites automatically, showing which ones confirm an account, then gives you one-click searches on 175+ platforms, including regional networks such as VK and Weibo, to open yourself. It is the one browser tool here that also takes a name or an email address: for an email it checks that exact address's Gravatar profile and tests the part before the @ as a username (a hit there may be someone else with the same handle). It does not search phone numbers. Free, no signup, and the person is not notified.

WhatsMyName Apps (whatsmynameapps.us) is an independent site, listed in the WhatsMyName project's tool list but not affiliated with it, that says it checks 3,450+ sites in the browser. You can paste a profile link and it pulls out the username. Pick it when coverage matters more than curation.

UserSearch.org runs a free username search with no signup at a depth you choose, from 10 to 315+ sites. Its email search lives on UserSearch.com, and the paid UserSearch.ai platform adds phone, image and other modules.

Command-Line Alternatives: Maigret, Sherlock and Blackbird

Maigret is the coverage leader. Its README says it supports about 5,900 sites, checks the 500 most popular by default (-a for all), parses profiles for extra details and builds HTML, PDF and graph reports. Install with pip install maigret (Python 3.10+), Docker or a standalone Windows build; it also has a local web interface and README links for running it in Google Cloud Shell or Colab. If you can install Python and want the deepest sweep, use Maigret.

Sherlock says it covers 400+ social networks. Install with pipx install sherlock-project or Docker, run sherlock username, and export to CSV or Excel. It is the classic choice for scripting checks on many handles. Our guide to running Sherlock online or without installing covers setup and browser options.

Blackbird searches a username or an email address across 600+ sites using the WhatsMyName data, the project says, with PDF and CSV export and an optional free AI profile summary with a daily limit. Install it from GitHub with Python. Because it uses WhatsMyName's list, expect overlapping results.

A Different Job: Namechk and Availability Checkers

Namechk answers is this name free to claim? It says it checks more than 90 social platforms and over 30 domain endings and shows which are taken. That is useful for creators and businesses choosing a handle, and for checking whether someone has grabbed your name.

For finding a person it is a weak choice: a "taken" result only says someone holds that handle on a site. It does not open the profile or tell you who owns it. Use WhatsMyName, Lullar or Maigret for that.

From Username to Person: Spokeo

Every tool above tells you where a handle is used. None tells you who is behind it. When the profiles do not show a real name and you need a phone number or address, Spokeo is our paid pick.

Spokeo (founded 2006, Pasadena, California) searches by name, phone number, email or address against 12+ billion US records, and results can include full name, age, addresses, phone numbers, relatives and social profiles. Reviewers in September 2026 reported about $20–30 a month; confirm at checkout. Its data comes from public sources that may be incomplete or out of date.

Spokeo is not a consumer reporting agency under the FCRA. Do not use it for employment, tenant, credit or insurance decisions; it is for personal use such as safety and verifying who you are talking to.

Which WhatsMyName Alternative to Use When

• You have a name or email, not just a handle: Lullar.
• You want a second opinion from a different site list: Lullar or Maigret.
• You want the most sites without installing: WhatsMyName Apps.
• You want the most sites, full stop: Maigret.
• You need to script checks on many handles: Sherlock or Maigret.
• You want an email search in the terminal: Blackbird.
• You are claiming a handle: Namechk.
• You need the real person's contact details: Spokeo.

A matching username is a lead, not proof: short or common handles are used by many unrelated people. Confirm with matching photos, bio details or cross-links. See also our best username search tools and IDCrawl alternatives comparisons.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best alternative to WhatsMyName?

It depends on the gap. Lullar is a free browser tool that also takes a name or email. WhatsMyName Apps says it checks 3,450+ sites in the browser. Maigret, a free open-source tool, says it supports about 5,900 sites if you can install Python. Namechk is for checking handle availability only.

Is WhatsMyName free?

Yes. WhatsMyName is a free, community-maintained dataset under a Creative Commons license, and whatsmyname.app, the web tool built by OSINT Combine with founder Micah Hoffman, is free to use in the browser.

Do other tools use the WhatsMyName data?

Yes. The project lists many, including Blackbird, a SpiderFoot module and Maltego transforms. Their results overlap with WhatsMyName's, so for a genuinely independent second opinion use a tool with its own site list, such as Lullar or Maigret.

Can WhatsMyName search an email address?

No, it checks usernames. Lullar takes an email: it checks that address's Gravatar profile and tests the part before the @ as a username, which may match someone else. Blackbird also accepts an email on the command line.

Does the person know I searched their username?

No. Lullar, WhatsMyName and the other tools here check public profile pages and do not notify the person. Opening their profile on a network can be visible on some platforms, such as LinkedIn profile views or Instagram story views.

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