Iddianame

Iddianame is a term used in discussions of digital identity to describe a composite personal identifier intended to balance recognizability with privacy. An iddianame typically combines a person’s legally registered name with a stable, unique value that persists across systems, enabling cross-system recognition while limiting exposure of full personal data.

Etymology: The word appears to be a portmanteau of “ID” and “name,” with possible influences from European naming conventions. It is not widely standardized and may be used variably in academic or industry discussions.

Structure and usage: In practical designs, an iddianame may consist of the readable name paired with an underlying token, hash, or other non-public identifier that links records across services. Some implementations separate the name from the linkage value to improve privacy, while others embed a hashed or pseudonymous form of the name for verification purposes. The goal is to provide a stable identifier that supports identity verification and service eligibility without revealing excessive personal data.

Applications: Governments, financial services, education, and social platforms explore iddianames to enable cross-system service delivery, reduce credential duplication, and simplify user onboarding. They are proposed as a means to maintain continuity of identity across platforms while supporting data minimization and consent-oriented access.

Challenges: Key concerns include privacy, consent, governance, data minimization, and the risk of data fusion that could re-identify individuals. There is no universally accepted standard, leading to interoperability challenges and divergent implementation practices.

See also: digital identity, unique identifier, identity management, privacy by design.