People change their names on Instagram for many different reasons. Maybe they were able to get their ideal username, simply wanted a change or possibly don’t want to be found anymore.
You may also want to find old Instagram usernames to see if they are legit. When shopping online or following someone, you want to ensure the account is real. Some people will purchase accounts with lots of followers and then change the name to their business or a scam page.
If you find that a business page has changed its name multiple times recently it probably means they are doing something shady and you should stay away from them.
In this article, we are going to show you how you can view an Instagram profile’s old names. This will allow you to see the origins of that Instagram account.
Can You Actually Find Old Instagram Usernames
Unfortunately, we are unable to see old usernames on Instagram accounts anymore. This used to be an old feature that Instagram had however it has likely been removed for privacy and data protection reasons.
While you are unable to see the exact username an account had, you can still see how many times they have changed their name in the past. This still gives you a good idea of companies and accounts to stay away from.
If their usernames on Instagram changed only once or twice, this likely won’t raise any red flags but the more changes the account has the more likely it is to be a scam account.
How To Check How Many Times An Account Has Changed Their Usernames on Instagram
You can check how many times a user has changed their name on Instagram by following the steps below:
- Open the Instagram App
- Navigate to the profile you want to check how many times it’s changed its name
- Click on the 3 dots in the top right-hand corner
- Select “About This Account”
- Under “Former Usernames” you will be able to see how many times they have changed their username.
You will only be able to see the number of times an account has changed its name if they are a business page on Instagram. You will be unable to see the “About this Account” section on personal pages.
Why Do People Change Their Usernames On Instagram
There are a number of reasons people will change their name on a platform:
Simply Want To Change It – We are humans. Sometimes we just want a change. Many people change their Instagram handles a lot, especially if they are not an influencer or brand where being easily found matters.
They Are Scamming – Pages that scam people on Instagram will change their names to avoid being found after scamming someone. When the person goes to look for the page they will be unable to find it under the old username.
They Got A New Username – Brands and influencers may change their name on Instagram if they get an exact match handle. For example, when the brand started they may have only been able to get @BrandOfficial but have now been able to acquire @brand which is much shorter and easier to remember for fans. This is probably the most common reason accounts change their names.
Wrapping Up
Unfortunately, you are unable to see the exact usernames an account has previously used but you can see how many times the account has changed its name. The best reason to use this method is to check businesses you are buying from if something looks too suspicious. Remember, if something is too good to be true, it probably is.
