How To Name Your Finsta, According To Gen Z

The time has come for you to embark on the world of finsta, but you’re having a hard time finding that “just right” username. Choosing a finsta name can often feel like choosing your destiny for your precious private account. For some, their username might serve as an alter ego to live out their wildest, most unabashed version of themselves. For others, the best finsta name can feel like a secret agent codename, used while disseminating top-secret info to your most trusted confidantes.

In case you missed the finsta memo (or you’re a U.S. senator who’s come here for some research), a finsta, in its simplest terms, is a “fake insta.” It’s an Instagram account that’s usually used in addition to one’s “rinsta” (real Insta), where one can post that which they would normally filter from their feeds. Despite the name, a finsta is often where users feel they can be much more real with their followers.

For Andy, a 25 year-old photographer, her finsta is somewhere she can be “unfiltered af” since her regular Instagram account serves as a portfolio for her work — and her mom follows it. (“Sorry mom,” she jokes.) Likewise, Tationa, 22, says that her finsta is a place to “sh*tpost and rant,” while her rinsta is “very PG.” However unhinged their finsta presences may be, both Andy and Totiana have found some meaningful benefits of their finsta accounts. “It’s like my digital diary,” says Totiana. “It’s cool cause I get to look back and laugh at myself and all the dumb sh*t i’ve done, but also see my growth,” says Andy.

Finsta Name Ideas

To really reap the benefits of a private Instagram, the key is keeping things private — while, of course, having fun with it. “I’ve never came across any [finstas] with their real names,” says Totiana.

Instead, try using an inside joke that your friends would know to identify you. It’s the perfect balance of humor and privacy. You can also reference a popular meme or pop culture moment (Think: @SuezCanalShipStan, @BabySharksPublicist, etc.), or coin your own punny celebrity name like @HarryStylist or @LizzosLizard. If you’re really trying to lean into your alter ego, try thinking of famous alter-egos like Miley and Hannah Montana, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, or Clark Kent and Superman. Or, if you’re an ex-Tumblr kid like Andy, you can recycle an old username from that platform, or repurpose that old AIM screen name of yours. (We see you, @xXSoccerLuvrXx.) Be as creative as your online presence is mysterious.

Of course, no matter how cryptic you make your username, there’s still a chance someone you don’t want to find your finsta stumbling upon your page. Using an unidentifiable profile picture and username, along with a locked account, can help ensure that you stay under the radar. And, of course, no matter how liberating your new @DulaPeep365 alter ego is, remember that a finsta is still, in fact, a real account. Meaning that you’re responsible for your digital footprint while using it. Be kind, and, even if Mom can’t follow you, you probably don’t want to post anything you wouldn’t want your mom seeing. Or Grandma, or anyone’s mom, for that matter.

The point is, be smart. And, of course, keep it real on your finsta. That’s what it’s for, after all.