Mapping the Empty Tail of Minecraft Usernames
Overview Short Minecraft usernames have long been assumed to be effectively exhausted, especially three‑letter names and, to a lesser extent, four‑letter names. This project conducted a comprehensive scan of the Minecraft username namespace using Mojang’s public API to measure the actual occupancy and availability of short names. The scan systematically checked every possible three‑ and four‑letter lowercase username, recording availability status and rechecking names multiple times to confirm stability. The scan has now completed, with all four‑letter names checked at least once and many rechecked multiple times. The resulting dataset provides a reliable, stable snapshot of the namespace as of early January 2026. The data shows a clear structural pattern of availability, with a substantial and persistent tail of unclaimed four‑letter usernames. ...