Username length and character requirements?

[Moddis]

Do you set a max length to the username someone can register with? What is it and why? Also,if you use a regex for username standardization, what is it and is there a reason for it besides the looks?

With my current site style, 15 characters is causing the username to overflow to another line and my dilemma is whether to slightly redesign and/or limit the username size so that it does not go over.

Update: After analyzing a forum with a little more then 18k users (and never had a username limit), here are the stats for username length of current users.

21-25 characters: ~ 30 Users ( About 10 actually posted at least once)
16-20 characters: ~ 200 Users(About 50 actually posted at least once)
15 characters: ~800 Users
11-14 characters: ~6.5k Users
1-10 characters: ~ 11k Users

With that in mind, there is no need to allow over the 15 char length (in the case of the forum analysed).

 

[AndyB]

These are my settings:

Min: 3
Max: 15
Regular Expression: ^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$

I suggest leaving it at 15 and adjusting your style. I prefer to have usernames with no special characters.

 

[rdn]

Mine has:
Minimum = 5
Maximum = 25

 

[rdn]

These are my settings:

Min: 3
Max: 15
Regular Expression: ^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$

I suggest leaving it at 15 and adjusting your style. I prefer to have usernames with no special characters.

This regular expression: ^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$
Removes special character?

 

[AndyB]

This regular expression: ^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$
Removes special character?

Correct. It will only allow alphanumeric characters.

 

[rdn]

Thanks a lot @AndyB

 

[rdn]

Registration via Facebook/Twitter/Google doesn't undergo on this check?

 

[AndyB]

Registration via Facebook/Twitter/Google doesn't undergo on this check?

I don't know. I don't have Registration via Facebook/Twitter/Google enabled.

 

[Moddis]

These are my settings:

Min: 3
Max: 15
Regular Expression: ^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$

I suggest leaving it at 15 and adjusting your style. I prefer to have usernames with no special characters.

Just updated the OP with stats that prove this is probably a good standard to go by.

Registration via Facebook/Twitter/Google doesn't undergo on this check?

Good point, will need to test some day.

 

[rdn]

Mine changed to:
Min: 3
Max: 20

 

[rdn]

Correct. It will only allow alphanumeric characters.

To allow spaces, underscore and hyphen?

^[a-zA-Z0-9_- ]+$

or this?

^[a-zA-Z0-9 _\-]+$

 

[Moddis]

This works: ^[a-zA-Z0-9\_\-\ ]+$

 

[Bob_R]

Where are these username length and requirement in the AdminCP?

 

[AndyB]

Where are these username length and requirement in the AdminCP?

Admin CP -> Options -> User Registration

 

[ModdingOnline]

How do set the limmits to max 15? please help me

 

[AndyB]

How do set the limmits to max 15? please help me

Admin CP -> Options -> User Registration