Javascript getElementsByName.value not working

document.getElementsByName("name") will get several elements called by same name . document.getElementsByName("name")[Number] will get one of them. document.getElementsByName("name")[Number].value will get the value of paticular element.

The key of this question is this:
The name of elements is not unique, it is usually used for several input elements in the form.
On the other hand, the id of the element is unique, which is the only definition for a particular element in a html file.

You have mentioned Wrong id

alert(document.getElementById("name").value);

if you want to use name attribute then

alert(document.getElementsByName("username")[0].value);

Updates:

input type="text" id="name" name="username"  

id is different from name