Forum will not accept new names

I have done a search and came across this :

https://help.forumotion.com/t117820-forum-won-t-accept-names-of-new-members?highlight=members+names+already+in+use

I have exactly the same problem. I don't want to change it so spammers can get in but I can't for a second believe the name being registered is a highly used spam name either?

Thanks for any help in anticipation.

Sanket Replied to that topic:

General>Forum>Security
Unauthorize subscriptions made with the most commonly used spam usernames. :No
Save.

Please note turning this off will open a gateway for bots to register spam accounts on your forum.

I am aware of his answer, as I said I do not want to open it up to spammers, but I cannot understand why such a name would be common in spammerland!

Have the member sign up with a 1 or a 2 or something on the end, then change it in the ACP.

ACP>>Users & Groups>>User Search

Look for the name, and then click it. But make sure the user knows that you will change it.

Users can also change their username themselves if you allow it in the settings.

If it makes you feel any better I've had mine turned off for a long time and I've never gotten any spam bots. Quite frankly if I ever did I'd just delete it. I don't see a problem. The forum program in the name of "security" not accepting honest people is the major problem, and it will turn many good people away because it doesn't make any sense in the names it refuses to let join. I had members tell me they couldn't use there real name when it was as common as the name "Steve" because the forum said it was already in use, and it wasn't in use, there wasn't a name that was even close to the name "Steve" at that time. My theory and cure is to turn the malfunctioning thing off.

Thanks very much for your replies.

You're welcome, on a final note I'd like to be clear that I'm aware the security spam filter might not be related to the forum rejecting a name that is already in use, my point was to show how the registration process as a whole can be faulty at times. My advice? turn it off.