name I want already taken but not being used

  • Unknown's avatar
    jkbrookes · Member ·

    One of the free names that I want to use is taken, but the blog is not being used. It was set up in 2007 but everything is still default on it. Is there is a way to contact this person or is there a point where the name is given up if it is not being used?

    The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

  • Unknown's avatar
    jkbrookes · Member ·

    automatingit is not the blog I need help with. It is an older blog. I am trying to create a new one. Thanks for the help everyone!

  • Unknown's avatar
    1tess · Moderator Emeritus ·

    You won’t be able to do that. WordPress won’t recycle an account:
    http://en.support.wordpress.com/recycling-blog-names/

    Think about it: imagine you have a blog for a while but then decide to delete it for personal reasons. We then let someone else take over the name. A year later you get an angry phone call from a friend or relative who has clicked on an old bookmark, reads something offensive, and thinks that it was published by you. This is precisely why our policy is, and will remain, in place.

    There are also other reasons the name you want may not be available. A WordPress.ORG user may be using it for getting an api key or using Jetpack—they don’t have to set up a blog, only an account, but perhaps they didn’t realize that at the time; you wouldn’t be able to use the name anyway though because the name would be listed as “reserved.”

    Another reason someone might not have used a blog is that they use the account in order to access someone’s private blog as a user, contributor, etc.

    You could purchase a domain mapping upgrade with the name you want (providing it is available) then your underlying wp.com url won’t matter because readers will see only your domain name:

    Domains

  • Unknown's avatar
    truefalsehoods · Member ·

    That happened to me too– I think the best you can hope for is to try commenting on the “hello world” post. Other than that–I think you’re out of luck.

    Google your question and you’ll see a lot of other forum posts corroborating that.

    Wish you luck!

  • Unknown's avatar
    1tess · Moderator Emeritus ·

    Oh, and the most obvious but unlikely:
    leave a comment on the site to ask the owner if the url could be transferred to you.

    WordPress will not give you private personal information to contact the owner any other way.

  • Unknown's avatar
    jkbrookes · Member ·

    Thank you guys. I finally figured out what to google for and found a lot of the same answers.

    Thanks again.

  • Unknown's avatar
    1tess · Moderator Emeritus ·

    ~etaege a duet: we were typing at (almost) the same time!

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