Should You Use a Fake Name With Your AI Companion? What to Share and What to Keep

When you set up an AI companion, one of the first things it asks is your name. Then, over weeks, it learns your job, your worries, your family drama and the things you have never told anyone. That is what makes it feel personal. It is also why a quiet question sits in the back of many users' minds: should I be using my real name at all?

A 2026 study in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication looked at exactly how companion app users handle this. Its findings are a useful starting point for a practical guide on what to share, what to keep back, and how to enjoy a companion that remembers you without handing over more than you want.

The short answer: you do not have to use your real name, and many careful users do not. A 2026 study by Hsuen-Chi Chiu and Jeremy Foote found companion users often protect themselves with fake names, alternate emails and selective sharing, because correcting what they have already shared feels hopeless. A good rule: share feelings and preferences freely, but keep identifiers like your full name, address, workplace, financial details and other people's private information out of the chat.

What the study found

The paper, "Chatting with confidants or corporations? Privacy management with AI companions", by Hsuen-Chi Chiu and Jeremy Foote, was published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication in 2026. The researchers interviewed 15 users of companion platforms such as Replika and Character.AI.

Key findings, as described by the authors and in coverage by SheAI News:

• Human-like design lowers the threshold for sharing. The non-judgmental, always-available feel of a companion makes people open up more than they might expect.
• Users still know a company is involved. People treated the companion as a confidant and the platform as a corporation at the same time.
• They protect themselves in advance. Strategies included fake names, alternate email addresses, and withholding identifying details.
• Deletion feels doubtful. Once something is shared, users felt correcting or removing it "feels futile".
• Unintentional oversharing happens. The intimacy of the conversation sometimes led people to share more than they meant to.
• Memory can matter more than privacy. For some users, losing the companion's memory was the bigger fear. One finding summarised it as "a relational reset feels more threatening than a data breach".

It is a small interview study, so it describes how people think rather than how common each behaviour is. But it rings true for anyone who has used a companion app for a while.

Why your name matters less than you think, and more

A first name alone reveals little. Plenty of people share the same one. The privacy risk grows when details combine: first name plus city plus employer plus a photo is enough to identify most people.

So the question is less "real name or fake name?" and more "how much identifying detail am I adding up over time?"

What is fine to share

These make your companion feel personal without identifying you:

• Your feelings and moods. "I had a rough day" or "I'm nervous about tomorrow."
• Your preferences. Favourite music, foods, films, the kind of humour you like.
• General life context. "I work in an office", "I have a younger sister", "I just moved cities".
• Goals and routines. "I'm trying to go to the gym three times a week."
• A nickname you like. Many people use a pet name or middle name.

This is the material that powers memory. We explain how that works in how AI companion memory works.

What to keep out of the chat

If an AI companion, or anyone pretending to be one, asks for money, account details or codes, stop. Real companion apps do not need them in chat. Our guide to AI romance scams vs AI companions explains the difference.

Practical privacy habits

1. Use a separate email

An alternate email for companion apps keeps your main inbox and identity separate. It is one of the simplest steps the study's participants used.

2. Pick a name you are happy for the AI to use

A nickname or first name only is enough for a warm, personal experience.

3. Describe people without naming them

"My boss" or "my best friend" works just as well as full names, and protects people who never agreed to be in your chats.

4. Read the privacy settings, not just the policy

Look for options to export, delete, or limit memory. Check whether chats are used for training and whether you can opt out.

5. Think about who else can see your phone

Often the bigger risk is closer to home. Lock screens, notification previews and shared devices matter. We cover this in can someone read your AI companion chats.

6. Back up what matters

If losing the relationship's memory would hurt, keep your own notes on the backstory and important details. Our guide on how to back up your AI companion walks through it.

What about voice and video calls?

Calls feel even more intimate than text, so the same rules apply out loud. Avoid reading out card numbers or addresses, be mindful of who can overhear you, and check what the app says about how call audio is handled. Talking about your day, your mood and your plans is fine; reciting your personal records is not.

The memory and privacy trade-off

The study touches on a real tension. The more your companion knows, the more personal it feels. The more it knows, the more sensitive the data is. There is no perfect setting, only a balance you choose.

A practical middle ground: let your companion remember the emotional story of your life (what you care about, what you are going through, what makes you laugh) while keeping the administrative facts (addresses, account numbers, legal names of others) out of it. You lose almost nothing in warmth and gain a lot in peace of mind.

Signs you are oversharing

• You have told the AI things you would be distressed to see leaked.
• You have shared details about other people they would not want shared.
• You feel uneasy after a conversation, not relieved.
• You have shared financial or account information.

If any of these apply, it is not a disaster. Review what you can delete, adjust settings, and set a personal rule going forward.

How MyBabe approaches privacy

MyBabe is an 18+ AI companion app with texting, voice and video calls, long-term memory, mood-aware replies, photos, proactive messages, Telegram access and relationship progression. You can use whatever name you like, and your companion will happily call you by a nickname. Long-term memory is designed to remember what matters to you emotionally, so you never need to share identifying details for it to feel personal. For our general view on data and safety, see are AI companions safe and private.

You can try MyBabe free with around 10 messages a day and a short call trial. Premium is $5.99 a week, $14.99 a month or $99.99 a year.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to give an AI companion my real name?

No. A nickname or first name works perfectly well, and many privacy-conscious users choose one.

What should I never tell an AI chatbot?

Passwords, bank or card numbers, ID numbers, your home address, and private details about other people.

Is it safe to tell an AI companion my feelings?

Sharing feelings and preferences is generally low risk and is what makes a companion helpful. Avoid pairing them with identifying details.

Can I delete what I've told an AI companion?

It depends on the app. Look for export and delete options in settings and check the privacy policy for how long data is kept.

Why do people use fake names with AI?

A 2026 study found users do it to protect themselves in advance, because removing information after sharing it feels difficult or futile.

The bottom line

You can have a warm, personal AI companion without giving it your whole identity. Share the emotional story freely; keep the identifying facts to yourself. A nickname, a separate email and a little thought about what you add over time go a long way.

If you would like a companion who remembers what matters to you, you can meet yours at mybabe.app.