How Do You Find Out Someone's Real Name on Snapchat
The Snapchat app uses the hidden user's real name as one of its best features. But what can you do to uncover that anonymous person's identity? Can you really see the name behind that Snapchat account? In his guide, I'll go through the steps you need to find out anyone's real name through their details on Snapchat. It's not only a chat app, but that can help you get most of their information and online profiles like never before. If you are also interested in connecting social media profiles, check out our guide on finding your Facebook friends on Snapchat.
Finding the real name of a Snapchat user
The following are the methods I tested and verified for uncovering the first, plus last names of Snapchat users. You don't have to look directly through the Snapchat platform itself, but use other tools. If you are trying to find someone, using a people finder tool can be the quickest way to verify a Snapchat identity.
Snapchat User Anonymity & Traceability
Source: Based on internal data review and analysis of social media privacy reports.
Table of Contents
Snapchat username reverse lookup
As its name suggests, this technique involves the use of an advanced username reverse search technology. It scans social media, and even private sources of data for that given username on the Snap app. Next, it collects details from the web when that's needed and shows you a clear report. When you browse the search result of that Snapchat username lookup, you may get the real name of the person behind it with photos and other details. For more specific information, check our dedicated guide on Snapchat username reverse lookup.
So, for example, you may get the location of that mysterious user and even see their social media accounts in one place. That's not all, but if there are any additional details like cell phone numbers or emails, you'll view them in the search report. For specific email search guides, see how to search social media accounts by email.
The accuracy of that Snapchat username lookup depends on some factors, but in general, the service provides up-to-date information. However, if that username that you want to identify belongs to someone from years ago, that could mean another person is behind it now. Username changes, and sometimes when they are still inactive, they'll be deleted, and then a different person will use them. So, always verify that you search for a user who's active on Snapchat to have a clear idea about their identity with name, address, etc...
Social Catfish
To find out who someone is on Snapchat in a faster way, use Social Catfish and type the username in the search field. Then, open the report and see what the system can list as profiles of people online. If the user has that real Snapchat username on other social networks, you'll see the full details even with a middle name. For more tips on linking profiles, you can read our guide on finding multiple Instagram accounts for a single user.
In addition to the default username lookup, there are more options. That includes email search, name lookup, and even search by image. Thus, you can start by identifying that Snapchat username and, next, see the full name and public records with a few clicks. If you need more details, you should be able to get the social media tab. From there, you can find all the social media accounts of that user on Snapchat.
Find some hints from their posts
Lots of users on Snapchat post short videos or photos of themselves. That could help you trace these posts and see if they posted them elsewhere on social media. You can save, for example, a specific photo and search for it with Google Images and see if it was published on Facebook, Instagram, or other places online. If that's true and another account on social media is posting that same file, then, check their profile and see who they're by name. You can learn more about how to find secret Instagram accounts through this method.
On Facebook, for example, people show their real names, and it's not only about usernames. So, when the Snapchat user posts the same content on multiple platforms, that can help others locate them. Though, they may not be aware of that trick.
Another trick here is that you can take advantage of the Stories on the app. So, to figure out someone's full name on Snapchat, visit their profile and see if there are any stories there. Then, browse them and see if you can get any hints about their profile's hidden identity. That depends on how the user is managing their privacy on the app. Thus, it may work for some, and not for everybody there.
Note: If you can't see stories from a Snap user, add them, and you'll see their content.
Some people think that they can browse the Snapchat directory, but that won't help in any way. When you need to identify an anonymous user on the chat platform, you should, at least, have their username or display name. On the Snapchat directory, there is a list of nearby users without any way to filter them by name or other options.
Identify that user with Google
This may not be clear from the beginning, but when you search for someone's username on Google, you may find it helpful. Any piece of information that's available on anyone's accounts on Snapchat can tell the world about their real identity.
For that reason, I recommend copying and pasting the same username into Google Search. Next, validate and browse the list of profiles or details that the search engine shows you. From there, you may come across a website, a blog, or a post on social media that's linked to that Snapchat account username. To go further, visit that post or page and see if there's a name behind that.
If you want to tweak the search parameters on Google, add words like "name" just after the username you typed. For example, it would be better to type the following expression into Google search:
"jack-username-2025" nameBy doing that, you help the search algorithm show you the possible name of that exact user. You can also add some details like the city or the country where the Snapchat user lives.
Other than Google, you may try Bing and then DuckDuckGo. The last one has a separate search algorithm that uses hundreds of sources to collect the data. Unlike regular search engines, DuckDuckGo can easily find information from social media profiles, Wikipedia pages, and others like YouTube and more. Thus, you'll have a higher chance to track down someone's exact name on Snapchat.
Use background search tools
We talked in the previous section about the username only. But there is also one important piece of information on every profile on Snapchat, which is the display name. In reality, that display name can easily show you the person's actual name on Snapchat. For general advice on tracing online identities, refer to our reverse username lookup guide.
To discover the true name of someone on Snapchat, use their display name with a search tool. Even Google can help with that if the details are public. If you can see where that Snapchat user is posting from, add the city or the county in the search box with a background search tool.
🔥 Pro Tip: Location Hashtag Clues
Have a look at the hashtags they use to detect any place or city. Using location hashtags in a background search can dramatically narrow down the field of potential users, helping you verify a display name against a real person in a specific area.
I want to mention here that many tools claim they offer a free background search. But if you try them once, you'll understand that they're useless tools. Some sites provide a list of fake names from around the world, and that makes no sense to use them. Also, if one of such sites asks you to link your Snapchat account or log in with them, just don't do it.
They can easily steal your personal details, including username, number, and name. So, they can sell the data to databases, and that's what you need to avoid in all cases. For that reason, only use a trusted background search service that can help you know the names of users by their usernames on any texting app or social media, as I talked about in the first section above.
Do they have other accounts online?
Suppose that someone on Snapchat has the username "linda-mc-1990", for example. So, when you add that exact username to Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram, you may view her exact profile there with the full name. Do the same with Facebook and even other popular social media networks that have millions of users. You can find more targeted tips in our guide on how to find someone's TikTok through Instagram.
That same username that the person used on their multiple accounts can tell you who they are with photos, posts, and more. That way, you get all the information you need to know about that Snapchat profile.
To help you more in your search, the following are the biggest social media apps, with an example of their URL structure that includes the account username. Just modify that username with one of the Snapchat ones you need to identify. Then, add and visit one URL at a time to your web browser to see if there is any profile behind it.
- For TikTok:
https://www.tiktok.com/@username - On Twitter (the new X platforms it's the:
https://twitter.com/username - For LinkedIn, use
https://www.linkedin.com/in/full-name - For Instagram use this structure
https://www.instagram.com/their-username - On FB, use:
https://www.facebook.com/that-username
Identify users by their photo
This is only valid if that Snapchat user has a real photo of them. This could be the profile photo or one of their posts or stories. If you exchange messages with that mysterious user, try to check if there is any picture on the chat. Also, visit their profile on the app. You can tap on their Bitmoji and see if you can find some details about them. All that can help in uncovering their real identity.
Now, when it comes to reverse image search, you need to try Social Catfish, as they have the best tool. For a detailed guide on advanced techniques, check our guide on finding people on social media with a picture. Next, if you find no information about that user based on their photo, try Google Images.
You can use Google Images on your laptop or on your mobile phone. Their app on the phone comes with settings to tweak the search features. But make sure you always use a clear photo from the Snap profile you'd like to identify. Keep in mind that low-resolution pictures may not be easy to scan and decode, even with the latest face recognition algorithms.
What about SnapMap?
The SnapMap features lets you see who is posting stories on the app in your local area. Also, you can use that map to find hot spots where lots of users are sharing stories in real-time. However, this is not a way to know the real name of somebody as you don't have an option to search by their details. It's just an interactive map with the name of the user. That makes no sense to try to discover the real person behind any anonymous account.
Try Snapchat Groups
Snapchat Groups and chats can help you get the first plus last name of a specific user if you ask others there. So, first, check whether or not that user is a part of a Snapchat Group or a chat. Next, click on their profile icon and see if their name appears or not. If that's not the case, read through their posts and messages on that group. There is always a possibility that that person or someone else of their friends has shared their name.
If you find no information about them from the Snapchat groups, reach out to someone you probably know there. That user should be friends with that person, and you can just ask them about that user's real name on Snapchat. They can assist you in locating the complete details and identifying the user in question, especially if that anonymous user is a scammer. For other methods of contact-finding on the platform, check out our guide on how to get someone's phone number from Snapchat.
For private Snapchat accounts, there are no secret ways to uncover their identities without getting at least their page details. So, first, visit the profile you'd like to look up, then, have a look at the info there.
Conclusion
Now, you have the best search methods and tools. Without wasting time, use one or more of the above search methods I talked about to uncover a user's real name on Snapchat. The profile details can help you in the investigation, but try to copy and paste them to avoid wrong results. Some username variations are close to each other, and you may add or remove an extra character by mistake, which will give the full name of another person completely.
Also, use the photos and information if you successfully discovered any of that person's accounts on social media. That would simplify the search and uncover everything you need to know about Snapchat users, such as their location, contact numbers, or even email, and addresses.
