Overview

• WABetaInfo reports that current beta builds include a reservation mechanism, with some testers already able to claim usernames.
• Naming rules in testing allow only lowercase letters, numbers, periods, and underscores, require at least one letter, and block names starting with "www."
• An optional PIN called a Username Key would gate first contact, so knowing a username alone would not permit messaging.
• Already-taken names are forbidden and duplicate names within a user's contacts are prevented to reduce impersonation and confusion.
• Meta has not confirmed the feature or given a release date, while competitors like Telegram and Signal already offer usernames.