Parts of an Email Address and the Characters You Can Use in Them
Email communication has become an essential way of connecting with people. At times, we come face-to-face with challenges like setting up an email account, and crafting a proper email address.
An email address is a unique identifier that helps us send and receive emails. It is composed of two basic components; the username and the domain name.
Username:
This is the first part of your email address. It is usually unique to you and used to identify you in the email system. In most cases, this will be the name that appears before the “@” symbol. Users will create their own usernames which can consist of letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and special characters. Here are some examples of what your username might look like:
– johndoe
– jane_1234
– sam.peters
– sarahsmith#1
Domain name:
The second and final part of an email address is the domain name. The domain name is the part that comes after the “@” symbol. It usually signifies the email host that the email is being sent from or received by. There are many email hosting providers such as Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail, and many others that provide domain names. Some domain names include:
– @gmail.com
– @hotmail.com
– @outlook.com
– @yahoo.com
Characters you can use in your email address:
Your email address allows the use of letters (both uppercase and lowercase), numbers, and some special characters. Here is a list of the special characters you can use in an email address:
– Dot (.) – This is used to separate two parts of a name within the username, for example, jane.doe.
– Underscore (_) – This is used to separate two parts of a name within the username, for example, john_doe.
– Hyphen (-) – This is used to separate two parts of a name within the username, for example, sarah-smith.
– Plus (+) – This is used to create disposable email addresses or capture different types of information such as a newsletter subscription, for example, janedoe+newsletter@gmail.com.
It is important to note that special characters cannot be used at the beginning or end of a username.
In conclusion, an email address is a unique identifier that helps us connect with others. A well-crafted email address will make communication effortless and smooth. By understanding the different parts and characters we can use in our email address, we can create an easy-to-remember and effective email address.