ubuntu server change user default name code example

Example 1: linux change username

# login as root and make sure that there are no active processes for user
usermod -l NEW_USERNAME OLD_USERNAME
# if user is running kill user w the following command
userUID=$(id -u OLD_USERNAME) && pkill -U $userUID

Example 2: change username ubuntu

# -l changes login name
# -d changes home directory
# -m copies over contents from old home directory
usermod -l <newname> -d /home/<newname> -m <oldname>

# NOTE: will not work if you are currently logged on as user
# - workaround by temporarily enabling root account and running above command there
# [sudo passwd root] 
# - after root account has been used to change username lock it using
# [sudo passwd -l root]