What is the difference between a handle and a channel name?

A handle is the unique @-prefixed name only one channel may hold, and it serves as that channel's address; a channel name is the display name, which may duplicate others and can be changed at any time. The two do not have to match.

Can I change a handle after choosing one?

A handle can be changed, but YouTube limits how often. Changing it also breaks existing links to your channel, so getting it right the first time costs far less.

Why can I not claim a handle that shows as unused?

YouTube holds some handles back as reserved, trademark-protected or blocked words, and those do not appear to belong to any channel in public data. That is why this tool reports nothing is using it rather than that it is available.

Channel Analytics

YouTube @Handle Checker

Type the handle you want to see whether a channel already holds it.

Handle to check

What this is

A YouTube handle is the unique @-prefixed name that serves as a channel's address and how it is mentioned in comments. Unlike a display name, which can change at any time and may duplicate another channel's, a handle can belong to only one channel. This tool checks whether a handle is already held and, if it is, shows which channel holds it.

How it works

A taken result is definitive, because the data contains the channel holding it. The opposite result is not, which is why this page says nothing is using it rather than available. YouTube holds some handles back as reserved or blocked words, and those appear to belong to no channel while still being unclaimable.

A handle is 3 to 30 characters and may contain only letters, digits, dots, underscores and hyphens. Handles using dots or hyphens are harder to say aloud and easier to mistype — worth weighing if your channel will be named by other people in videos or on air.

How to use it

Type the handle you want No @ needed — it is already there.
Check the result If it is taken, the channel holding it is shown too.
Claim it on YouTube Final certainty only comes when you actually claim it.

Common questions

What is the difference between a handle and a channel name?: A handle is the unique @-prefixed name only one channel may hold, and it serves as that channel's address; a channel name is the display name, which may duplicate others and can be changed at any time. The two do not have to match.
Can I change a handle after choosing one?: A handle can be changed, but YouTube limits how often. Changing it also breaks existing links to your channel, so getting it right the first time costs far less.
Why can I not claim a handle that shows as unused?: YouTube holds some handles back as reserved, trademark-protected or blocked words, and those do not appear to belong to any channel in public data. That is why this tool reports nothing is using it rather than that it is available.

Notes

A nothing-is-using-it result is not a guarantee that the handle can be claimed.