Display names and channel addresses
Choose the display name people see on your videos and comments, and pick your own channel address once your channel has 100 views.
Your display name is the name people see; your handle is your channel's address. Every new channel starts with a random handle, such as videobb.com/c/k7m2qp9xva. You choose your display name yourself, and you can pick your own handle once your channel has 100 views.
Choose your display name
- Open your studio. The Get started list at the top has a box for your name. You can also use the Choose a name button in the banner on other studio pages, or the Display name field in Studio › Channel.
- Type the name you want people to see.
- Press Save name. It shows on your channel, your videos and your comments straight away.
Until you choose one, your channel and comments show your handle instead. Your Google name is never shown.
What needs a display name
| Without a display name you can | You need a display name to |
|---|---|
| Upload videos and import them from a link or Higgsfield | Make a video public |
| Keep videos private or unlisted, edit them and share unlisted links | Post comments and replies |
Rules for display names
- 2 to 50 characters.
- Letters in any language, numbers, spaces and the marks . - _ ' &. No emoji or other symbols.
- No web addresses or domains. This includes spelled-out forms such as name dot com, name (dot) com or NameDotCom.
- No email addresses, @handles or phone numbers.
- Nothing that suggests you speak for VideoBB, such as VideoBB, admin, moderator, support, staff or official.
If a name is not allowed, the message tells you which rule it breaks. You can change your display name later in the same places.
Your channel address (handle)
Your handle is the last part of your channel address. New channels get a random handle of 10 lowercase letters and digits. Channels that existed before random handles keep the handle they have.
Pick your own handle at 100 views
Once your channel has 100 views in total, the Channel address field in Studio › Channel unlocks. Until then it is locked and shows your progress, for example Custom channel address unlocks at 100 views: 37/100. The Get started list in your studio shows the same progress.
- Use 3 to 40 lowercase letters and digits. Spaces, dots and dashes are removed.
- Pick one nobody else has. If it is taken, you see a message and nothing changes.
- Some handles are reserved, such as admin, support, help, studio and anything containing videobb.
What changes when you change your handle
| Item | After a handle change |
|---|---|
| Channel address | Moves to videobb.com/c/newhandle |
| Old channel links | Keep working: they forward to your new address |
| Your old handle | Stays linked to your channel, so nobody else can take it. You can switch back to it |
| Video links | Keep working, because they use the video id |
| Referral link | Uses the new handle from now on |
Why your video links are safe
Each video address is built from its own id, for example videobb.com/v/v7fs1pq-title.html. Your handle is not part of it. Our note on share links and start times explains how those links work.
Choosing a name people remember
Keep it short, easy to spell and close to what your videos are about. The guide on how to start a video channel has more naming tips.