Question about legacy names/cleared names/non-unique names
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I have not been on for a long while. I believe that pet names are no longer unique, but that the legacy name reflects the original name, i.e. if you had a name first it will show it there. I've also read on the FAQ that if a user is inactive for a year or more, someone else can have their pet name, and their pet will be renamed with numbers on the end. But if pet names are no longer unique, why can't the second person use the name without the original one being changed? I have come back and three of my pets now have numbers after them, but the number name is in the legacy name, which isn't right, surely? I originally had the name. Plus, I can only find one pet with on the site with one of the original names. Does this mean the users who owned the other two have been frozen? Can I get my original names back in this case? Sorry for all the questions. I just find the non-unique names contradictory to the adding numbers thing.
So your pets that have the numbers in the name had their original names taken from them before the site switched to the new, legacy name/non-unique name system. And because you were not around to activate the free pet name change you get when one of your names gets taken after being inactive prior to the legacy name rollout, their legacy name has the numbers in it.
Yes, you can change your pet's names to something different (or back to their original names if you'd like!) for free still. ALL pet name changes are now free, actually! But their legacy name will still be what it is. You can also clear their legacy name at the cleansing pool if you like! :)
Hope that helps! <3
It sounds like the official FAQ has still not been updated. Now, multiple pets can have the same name, and neither the legacy name nor the regular name of the pet who had the name first when the new name policy went into effect will be affected.
This doesn't answer all your questions, but it may help: FAQ about Legacy Names/Non-Unique Pet Names
Unfortunately, you cannot get the legacy names back without the numbers. I was able to find the former names of all three of your pets. But even if they didn't exist (because their owners purged their legacy names at the cleansing pools) or their owners were frozen, you would not be able to get them back.