Are they a namesake
A real person with the same name keeps the handle in most situations.
Home / Username claims
Want the Instagram username that matches your name or practice?
For a coach, the handle is the business card. If someone else holds it, here is what is worth checking.
Coaches and consultants usually want their own name or practice name as the handle. It is often held by a namesake, an old account of yours or a fan page. Check whether the holder is active, where your name appears online, and what records you have: a registered practice, a website and published work. Those facts decide the route.
Look for your old account
An account you opened years ago can often be recovered instead.
Gather public proof
Your website, books or talks show the name is tied to you.
What decides the route
- The holder is a genuine namesake with an active account.
- The holder is empty or inactive for a long time.
- The account copies your brand or photos.
- The account is an old one of yours you can no longer access.
Every claim goes through the platform’s own processes. No bots, no false reports, no buying or selling accounts.
What to send
- The handle you want and your current profile.
- Your website or practice registration.
- Where your name is published online.
- Screenshots of the holder’s profile.
What to send
- The exact @username you want.
- Your current Instagram profile, so the handle can go onto it.
- Why the name is yours: brand, business name, registered trademark, or the name you used before.
- What you have already tried, if anything.
Please do not send passwords, login codes, card numbers or access tokens.
How it works with Unbanz
- Message us on WhatsApp or email with the @username you want and your current profile.
- We tell you honestly whether this is something we can help with.
- We check the handle and pick the official route that fits it. Your password stays with you.
- We stay in touch while you wait. Meta makes the final decision, and nobody can promise the outcome.
Who this is for
- Life, business and career coaches.
- Independent consultants.
- Trainers and speakers.
Staying safe
Nobody needs your password or login codes to help you. If someone in your DMs offers to fix it, asks you to log in through their link, or wants to be paid in gift cards, walk away. Unbanz never asks for logins. We are an independent paid service, not affiliated with Meta: payment is upfront, with a 100% refund if the case fails. For Facebook and Instagram cases we work through our contacts at Meta, and Meta makes the final decision.
Username questions people also ask (2026)
Can I claim a username from an inactive account?
Instagram has no public form to request an inactive username. A name usually frees up only when the holding account is removed or deleted. A registered trademark adds an official route: Instagram’s trademark report form, which covers accounts that infringe the mark, not just accounts that share the name.
How long until a released username is free?
Instagram does not publish a date. After you change your own username, Instagram usually lets you switch back for 14 days, so a name you just gave up can stay reserved for a while.
Does a trademark help with a username?
It can. Instagram’s trademark form is for accounts using a registered mark in a way that confuses people. Have the registration number, the owner name and the country of registration ready, and use the same name on the request.
About Unbanz
Unbanz (unbanz.com) is an independent service that helps people, businesses and agencies with Instagram and Facebook account unbans, username claims, and Meta ad account recovery. Contact: WhatsApp +1 934 201 2490 or team@unbanz.com. Not affiliated with Meta.
CLIENTS
What clients say
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QUICK ANSWERS
Good to know.
Can I claim my own name from a namesake?
Usually not. An active account of a real person with the same name is not claimable.
What if it is my old account?
Then recovery of that account may be the right route instead of a claim.
Do I need to be verified?
No. Verification helps show who is official but is not required.
What if the username claim does not work?
If a username claim fails, you get a full 100% refund. A claim fails when the username is not successfully claimed onto your profile. Details are on the refund policy page.
Do I need to share my Instagram password?
No. Your password and login codes stay with you. Unbanz works from your public username, the notice and the details you send. Anyone who asks for your login is not someone to work with.
How do I contact Unbanz about an Instagram username claim?
WhatsApp +1 934 201 2490 or email team@unbanz.com. Send your username and a screenshot of the notice, if there is one.
Tell us what you need.
SERVICE FEES
Published fee.
An Instagram username claim is a flat $1,200 per handle, including handles held by banned or inactive accounts, paid upfront with a 100% refund if the claim fails.