Maybe you’re feeling a bit sick about being back in the dating pool after a relationship. Or after a long, hard year inside.
Or, maybe you’re coming back from a bad dating experience…. Or maybe you’re just a bit of a private weirdo…
Whatever your reasoning, you’re asking, ‘Should I use my real name on Hinge?’ The short answer, yes!
Otherwise, you will have to eventually reveal to your date that your name (and the name they have been calling you by and thinking of you as) is not actually your name. And that is, frankly, odd.
Unless you’re a hacking master or incredibly private, your info is already all over the internet. You really may as well use your real name on Hinge. If you’re old-school and signed up with Facebook, it’ll already be there anyway.
If not, it’s best to be honest. Of course, you don’t need your full name. Your first name is fine. First name and surname at a push.
My parents didn’t get on so I have five, yes, count ’em, FIVE names total. Would that even fit on a Hinge profile?
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Does Hinge Show Your Full Name When You Match?
Swiping about on Hinge you’ll only see first names. But we know that some people do give the app their full names, and they used to come over automatically from Facebook. But when do they actually get shown to other users? Does Hinge show your full name when you match?
If your first and last name are known by Hinge, only your first will be shown in discover. When you match, however, your full name will be shown to your match.
Unless this reveals that you are actually cousins, or your families have been sworn enemies for generations, this shouldn’t cause too much of a problem.
Of course, plenty of people opt to tell Hinge only their first name, or even initials or a nickname. In this case, no full name magically appears upon matching. That would be freaky.
It is worth noting that Hinge customer service states that including your last name creates a sense of trust, and gets you more interest and conversation. But maybe they just want to know your last name for some nefarious reason? You can never tell with a tech company…
Can You Change Your First Name On Hinge?
But what about your first name? Can you change your first name on Hinge?
The short answer is, yes, you can change your first name on Hinge, as well as delete your last name (or change that).
The instructions are as follows to delete or change your surname:
1. In the Hinge app, tap Settings.
2. Tap the Pencil Icon beneath your photo.
3. Scroll down and tap Name.
4. Tap on your last name to make changes.
5. Tap the Back button.
6. Tap Done to save your changes.
And to change your first name or vitals:
If you’re an iOS user:
- Within the Hinge app, navigate to your Settings tab
- Tap the Pencil icon above your name
- Scroll down to edit
- Tap on the criteria you’d like to change
- Virtues: Work, Job Title, School, Education Level, Religious Beliefs, Hometown, Politics
- Vitals: Name, Gender, Height, Location, Ethnicity, Children, Family Plans
- Vices: Drinking, Smoking, Marijuana, Drugs
- Tap on the toggle to hide or make a criteria visible on your profile
- Tap the < when you’re happy with your changes
- Tap Done to save your changes
If you’re an Android user:
- Within the Hinge app, navigate to your Settings tab
- Tap on the Pencil icon above your name
- Scroll down to edit
- Tap on the criteria you’d like to change
- Virtues: Work, Job Title, School, Education Level, Religious Beliefs, Hometown, Politics
- Vitals: Name, Gender, Height, Location, Ethnicity, Children, Family Plans
- Vices: Drinking, Smoking, Marijuana, Drugs
- Tap the circle next to “Visible on profile” to make a criteria visible on your profile
- Tap the < when you’re happy with your changes
All that is straight from the horse’s mouth – aka Hinge Help Center.
I hope I don’t need to tell you this, but if you change your name to something wild, wacky, and nothing to do with your actual name you may end up driving potential matches away by seeming a little too mysterious. But maybe that’s what you want? Maybe that’s the first test of compatibility?
Are There Fake Names On Hinge?
So, if it’s so easy to change a name, are there fake names on Hinge? There are certainly fake profiles, but Hinge does have IRL moderators so the issue isn’t too bad on the app.
As for fake names, what are we counting as fake? Some people go by initials or a nickname, but that’s not really a fake name. As fake names are possible there will be a few, but I’d say it isn’t a major worry.
If someone is called FaceyMcFace or something, that’s a red flag. Otherwise, a fake name seems pointless if you’re using real photos! And if you’re also using fake photos? Well, that’s just a straight-up fake account!
The truth is, all dating apps and sites have a few catfishing idiots on them. You simply have to remain aware of things seeming too good to be true, users sounding like bots, and other bots/catfish red flags.
And if you’re looking for a more secure site? Why not take Dude Hack’s quick quiz to find the perfect app for you? I’m guessing it will be something grownup and paywalled!
