Finally, vanity URL's coming to Facebook

Facebook will offer users customizable URL's starting June 13th

A lot of people will be standing in virtual lines tomorrow night, anxiously awaiting Facebook's next big feature: custom URL's.  On a first come, first service basis, users can visit www.facebook.com/username/ to obtain their new 'personal destinations.'  The action starts at 12:01 a.m. EDT on Saturday June 13th.

What this means is users will no longer have randomly assigned URL's for their Facebook profiles.  Currently, Facebook URL's are a jumble of numbers and letters.  On Saturday, URL's will be customized based on the users actual first and last name, if they choose so.  URL's must be at least five characters in length and only include alphanumeric characters, or a period. Once picked, the URL is permanent, it cannot be changed or transferred.

Facebook says this new URL will be like a user's, "personal destination, or home, on the Web."  It explains usernames will be more "searchable, easy to find, and easy to remember."

While many people will be waiting patiently at their desks, Facebook has already given out usernames to a select handful of people including specific journalists, media oulets and employees.  Michael Arrington from TechCrunch humorously spilled the beans yesterday in an post sharing his thoughts, "I also think it’s kind of BS that Facebook is giving some people, employees included, first shot at the names. My guilt only extends so far, though. You suckers wait in line. I’m grabbing my name in advance."  

In the end, vanity URL's are nothing new.  Facebook should have done this a long time ago, MySpace did over a year ago.  On top of that Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, Wordpress and plenty of others all offer some sort of the customizable URL.