So was looking for a short twitter name earlier today and after a while I got bored of typing random characters into the Twitter Username checker.

I decided to write a little script to check over 5,000 words starting with 101 two letter usernames, 1015 three letter usernames and finally 4130 4 letter usernames. Here is the results... it don't look good.

2 Letter Words

99 Taken 1 Suspended - @ut 1 Not suspended or taken, but not available to register!! - @me

3 Letter Words

976 Taken 37 Suspended - @add, @ago, @aid, @ail, @all, @ars, @ate, @bed, @bis, @bud, @cop, @dev, @dui, @fax, @gas, @gun, @him, @how, @hoy, @job, @key, @med, @new, @nit, @nus, @oil, @pay, @pic, @rec, @rip, @sac, @sec, @sub, @tax, @tux, @wet, @wis 2 Not suspended or taken, but not available to register!! - @vac, @zep

4 Letter Words

3942 Taken 181 Suspended - @anal, @army, @awns, @back, @barb, @bend, @bhut, @blog, @bots, @bras, @byre, @byrl, @calx, @cine, @cola, @cops, @cued, @cuif, @cult, @cusk, @cwms, @dank, @desk, @dial, @diet, @dime, @dorp, @down, @duad, @dyad, @dyke, @east, @eked, @epic, @epos, @esne, @eths, @euro, @ewes, @expo, @eyne, @eyry, @fame, @fehs, @flag, @flay, @flus, @fold, @fond, @fops, @forb, @foys, @full, @gawp, @gift, @gigs, @girn, @give, @gore, @goth, @gowd, @goys, @guvs, @half, @hash, @hear, @hewn, @hike, @hire, @hisn, @holy, @home, @hora, @hour, @howf, @huic, @hunh, @jail, @jaup, @jets, @jobs, @khis, @kids, @kifs, @left, @liar, @lima, @loan, @loss, @lych, @mall, @maps, @meet, @mend, @more, @mycs, @neap, @nets, @noms, @note, @ocas, @ohed, @okes, @oohs, @opts, @orgy, @orle, @orts, @ouds, @oxim, @palp, @past, @peso, @pics, @pill, @pirn, @post, @ptui, @puke, @pups, @pyes, @pyic, @qadi, @quod, @rate, @rent, @revs, @rifs, @road, @roam, @sale, @salt, @save, @sell, @send, @shoe, @shop, @show, @site, @skew, @skis, @snaw, @sorb, @spue, @stat, @stye, @suqs, @task, @team, @text, @tits, @tour, @town, @tyin, @typp, @ughs, @upby, @urds, @urns, @vagi, @vaws, @vids, @view, @voes, @wabs, @waur, @well, @what, @when, @woks, @wont, @woof, @wyes, @yaud, @yays, @yech, @yeuk, @yews, @yirr, @yowl, @zyme 7 Not suspended or taken, but not available to register!! - @apps, @flir, @help, @list, @pare, @sent, @warn

No surprise but not one word in the 5,000+ I checked was available to register. Maybe I should just give up and stick with my long 12 letter username @StevenBullen

Reason I am looking

All this started because I was annoyed that two accounts that I actually wanted were taken and being sat on by people who are not using them.
  • @Steven - No tweets and registered in Dec 10
  • @S - No tweets and registered in Sept 10

Twitter did have the option to communicate with them regarding dormant accounts but so many people have been bugging them that they now have an automated response.

If you're looking to acquire an inactive username for personal use, please check back in a few months. We're currently unable to accommodate individual requests for inactive usernames. We may release all inactive usernames in the future, but have not yet set a date for doing so.

Looks like I will have to keep an eye on the two I want and hope I can get in before anyone else does, when/if they get released.