X

Namechk scours 84 sites to find open usernames

Want a certain username? Don't spend time checking each site. Let Namechk do the work for you. What's really impressive about this service is the speed.

Josh Lowensohn Former Senior Writer
Josh Lowensohn joined CNET in 2006 and now covers Apple. Before that, Josh wrote about everything from new Web start-ups, to remote-controlled robots that watch your house. Prior to joining CNET, Josh covered breaking video game news, as well as reviewing game software. His current console favorite is the Xbox 360.
Josh Lowensohn

Namechk is a new service launching on Wednesday that helps you find open usernames at 84 different Web sites. Like UsernameCheck, a service we covered last year that has since shut down, it takes only a few seconds to come up with the results and provides a link to the page for each user at the sites where it's taken.

What's really impressive about this service is the speed. In a few sample searches, it averaged about 8 seconds from start to finish. And you don't even have to wait to see all the results because they stream in as it does its business.

Combine this with a domain checker like Domize or BustAName, and you could create a name-squatting empire in short order.

Namechk scours 84 different sites to let you know where usernames have been taken or are still available. CNET