Turn on Nicknames at the community level and decide the default-generation rule before launching. Retrofitting a community to use nicknames after members have built reputations is awkward; the leaderboard suddenly shows different names and members complain.
- Enable Show Nicknames on the site
Go to Setup > Digital Experiences > All Sites, click Workspaces on the site, open Administration > Preferences, and check Show Nicknames. The change applies immediately to all rendered community pages.
- Decide the default generation rule
For self-registration flows, configure the registration form to either let members pick their own Nickname (best for privacy) or auto-generate one from a non-identifying pattern like Adjective + Noun + Number (best for low-friction onboarding).
- Migrate existing members
Run a data loader update on the User object to populate Nicknames for any existing community members whose Nickname currently defaults to first name plus last name. Use a non-identifying pattern or pre-coordinate with members through email.
- Audit places that still show Name
Walk through the community as a member, identify any place the full Name still appears (custom LWCs, notification emails, third-party widgets) and update them to use the Nickname or hide the identity field entirely.
- Document the policy
Update the community welcome email, the privacy notice, and the help center to explain how Nicknames work and how members can change theirs. Transparency reduces support tickets about "why is my name not showing".
Default for member-to-member communities, patient communities, peer-support sites. Hides full Name throughout the community.
Default for partner and employee communities where transparency is preferred. Full Name appears throughout.
Self-registration prompts member to pick a nickname; highest privacy, slight signup friction.
System assigns a random non-identifying nickname; lowest friction, member can edit later.
- Nickname is uniquely indexed across the entire org. A common nickname like John or admin is almost always already taken. Plan the generation rule with collision handling built in.
- Chatter mentions still show full Name in some places even when Show Nicknames is on. The mention dropdown in the Composer can leak the real Name; submit feedback to Salesforce or build a custom mentions LWC if this is a compliance issue.
- Changing a Nickname after community activity exists rewrites the displayed author on every historical feed post. Communicate the change to the user; it can surprise long-tenured members.
- Some integrations (email tools, single sign-on logs) sync the User.Name field but not Nickname. Confirm downstream systems show the appropriate identity for each context.