The company said on Monday that users can begin reserving their preferred usernames this week, ahead of the feature's official rollout later this year.

"With over three billion people on WhatsApp, a lot of names overlap, which is why we're opening reservations early so everyone has the opportunity to select the username that matters to them," Meta said in a statement.

According to Meta, each WhatsApp username will be unique, enabling users to share a username instead of revealing their phone number to people they want to connect with.

To make the process easier, WhatsApp is also introducing a username generator that will suggest available usernames.

The company added that creators, small businesses, and organisations will have the option to claim the same username they already use on Instagram or Facebook, helping them maintain a consistent identity across Meta's platforms.

Meta said the introduction of usernames is the latest step in its efforts to strengthen user privacy.

"There’s no directory to browse and no suggestions – people will need to know your exact username to contact you for the first time. To help control who can reach you on WhatsApp with your username, we’ve built an optional username key that others will need to know to message you," the company said.

How to reserve a WhatsApp username

Users running the latest version of WhatsApp can reserve a username by following these steps:

Open WhatsApp

Go to Settings

Tap Account

Select Username

Choose and reserve your preferred username