We follow the following idea:
- Use the first letter of the first name and the first letter of the last name to create the name before the "@".
- Alternatively, if several users have the same first letter, use the first two letters of the first name and then the first letter of the last name.
- If this is also not possible, use the first letter of the first name and the first two letters of the last name.
- Always write the name in the order "first name last name".
- Do not use numbers in the mail address (Gusto).
- Only create a three- or four-character abbreviation if it is absolutely necessary. Otherwise, always use only two letters (K.I.S.S).
- Make sure that the mail clients display the mail address as follows: "First name Last name vn@mailname.org". If the disclosure of the name is desired or other guidelines apply (e.g. "Dr. Prof. Mail" or "The mail team for you"), this can be deviated from.
The experience behind this is as follows:
There are some good reasons why we should use letters instead of names when creating email addresses. For one thing, this allows a certain anonymity and privacy,. But also the avoidance of spelling mistakes, especially with foreign names, is an important aspect. Who doesn't remember challenging names like Aaliyah Äikäs from Finland or Arina Aksyonova from Ukraine? Mails with letters as the basis for the email name are therefore not only easy to remember, but also easier to spell and explain. Let's not forget, the full name can always be displayed by the mail client if needed.