Common Name Checklist: A One-Afternoon Setup

Before you start

Gather a few things: a clear, recent photo of yourself, your current résumé, a list of the profiles you actually use, and a notes document or spreadsheet. Have a credit card handy if you plan to register a domain. Then block a few hours with no interruptions.

Step 1: Search like a stranger (about 20 minutes)

Open a private or incognito browser window. Search:

For the first page of each, write down each result and mark it: me, namesake, or unclear. Circle anything that could be mistaken for you and would be harmful, such as an arrest, lawsuit, or bad review. Our guide to what Google says about you helps you read the results.

• Your name in quotes.
• Your name plus your city.
• Your name plus your employer or business.
• Your name plus your profession.
• Your name in Google Images.

Step 2: Choose your name version (about 15 minutes)

Write it down exactly as you will use it. See middle names and initials at work for help deciding.

• Search your name with your middle initial.
• Search your name with your full middle name.
• If relevant, search your name with your credential, like RN, CPA, or PE.
• Pick the version with the fewest strong results for other people that still feels natural to you.

Step 3: Set up a home base (about 60 to 90 minutes)

Google's documentation on profile pages describes this markup. It helps search engines understand the page, but it does not guarantee how results look. Our guide to whether a personal website is worth it with a common name explains what this page can and cannot do.

• Choose a domain that matches your name version, or adds your profession if your name is taken. See choosing a domain for your name.
• Use a simple website builder and create one page.
• Page title: your name version, role, and city.
• Main heading: your name version.
• Photo: the same clear photo you will use everywhere.
• One line: what you do and where.
• Short bio: two short paragraphs in plain language.
• Links: your LinkedIn and any other real, current profiles.
• Contact: a form or professional email. No home address needed.
• If your builder supports it, add profile page structured data with a sameAs list of your profiles.

Step 4: Align your profiles (about 45 minutes)

For LinkedIn and one or two other professional profiles you actually use:

Then:

See making your profiles consistent and using the same photo and name everywhere.

• Name field: your exact name version.
• Photo: the same photo as your site.
• Headline: role and city, matching your site.
• Website link: your new home base.
• About or bio: a short version of your site bio.
• Update your résumé header to your name version and add your website.
• Update your email signature with your name version and website.
• Ask your employer or association to update your bio to match, if possible.

Step 5: Check people-search sites (about 30 minutes)

See people-search sites that mix you up and removing yourself from people-search sites.

• Search your name and city on a few major people-search sites.
• Look for merged profiles: wrong ages, unfamiliar addresses, relatives you do not know, or court records that are not yours.
• Screenshot anything merged before acting.
• Use each site's opt-out process.
• If Google shows results with your home address, phone, or email, use Google's "Results about you" tool to request removal.
• Log each site, date, and action in your notes.

Step 6: Prepare your explanation (about 10 minutes)

Write one sentence you can use with employers, clients, landlords, or anyone else:

"There's another [your name] in [their city] who [is in the news / has a public record]. I'm [your name version], the [your profession] in [your city]. My website is [address]."

See telling employers and clients "that's not me".

• Save it in your notes.
• Say it out loud a few times so it sounds natural.

Step 7: Set a monthly reminder (about 5 minutes)

Our monthly name check routine has more detail.

• Add a recurring monthly calendar reminder.
• Each month, repeat the Step 1 searches in a private window.
• Note whether your site and profiles are showing up for your name plus city or profession.
• Check for new people-search profiles every three months.

A worked example of the afternoon

Here is how the afternoon might go for a graphic designer named Emily Chen in Portland. At 1:00 she searches her name and finds a doctor, a university researcher, and several designers in other cities, plus one unclear result: a court record listing an Emily Chen in a nearby county. By 1:35 she has tested versions and chosen "Emily S. Chen". By 3:00 she has a one-page site at a domain with her middle initial, with her photo, the line "Graphic designer in Portland, Oregon, focused on packaging and brand identity," a short bio, and links. By 3:45 her LinkedIn and portfolio profile match. By 4:15 she has found and opted out of two people-search profiles that merged her with the court record. At 4:25 she saves her one-liner and sets a monthly reminder. This is an illustrative example.

If something urgent comes up

Some problems should jump the queue:

A background check lists someone else's record. Dispute it in writing with the screening company right away and tell the employer or landlord. See fixing a background check that pulled the wrong person.

A namesake's mugshot includes your details. Ask the site to correct it and use Google's personal information tools. See when someone else's mugshot shows up for your name.

Common mistakes to avoid

Using different name versions. If your site says "Emily S. Chen" and LinkedIn says "Em Chen," you lose the benefit of consistency. Pick one and stick with it.

Skipping the photo. A matching photo is one of the fastest ways for a person to confirm they found the right you.

Creating too many thin profiles. A few complete, current profiles beat a dozen empty ones that you never update.

Ignoring merged data. A polished website does not help if a background check or people-search profile ties you to someone else's record. Fix those first.

What to expect afterward

Search engines need time to find and process your changes. Expect several weeks before results shift noticeably, and longer for very common or famous names. Measure progress by the searches people actually use to find you, like your name plus your city or profession, not your bare name.

Keep it simple

You do not need dozens of profiles or a complicated website. One clear home base, a few matching profiles, and a short routine are enough for most people with common names. Our guide to what to do about someone with the same name covers the reasoning behind each step if you want more background.

Common questions

Sources

1. Profile page structured data (Google Search Central)
2. Find and remove personal info in Google Search results (Google Search Help)
3. SEO Starter Guide (Google Search Central)
4. sameAs property (Schema.org)