When “Try again” means “You don’t belong”: A UX lesson from a two-letter name

A few days ago, I came across a post on Instagram that was funny and a serious one at the same time. And that is...

Someone posted that they have only two characters in their name like Ai. And the system rejected it. 

Why?

Because “Name must be more than two characters.”They were asked to try again. Then, I was curious and I searched further and found similar stories on Reddit:

 'I can't apply to this job because the person who created this form didn't think that a job seeker can have a last name that is less than three characters'.

At first glance, it feels like a small edge case. But as designers, we know small assumptions can quietly exclude real users.

So, as a user, what would you do?

If I were the user, I’d feel confused first, then frustrated, and finally... a little invisible

Do I abandon the form? Do I fake my name just to move forward? Do I assume this company doesn’t really care about people like me? Every unnecessary rejection adds friction and that friction destroys trust.

As a designer, what could you have done differently?

Now let’s assume something important:

You and your teams genuinely didn’t know that names can be only two characters long. No bad intent. No negligence. It's just... just limited exposure. This happens more often than we admit.

As designers, we rarely intend to cause friction or pain. We design from what we know, what we see, and what feels normal to us. And when every name around you has more than three letters, that pattern silently turns into a rule without anyone questioning it.

And that’s where UX breaks when representation is missing.

Here’s a simple truth:

You’re lucky if someone on your team has a two-letter name. They’d catch this instantly. Others wouldn’t. :)

But what if the entire team is unaware? The dataset is limited? The assumptions feel “reasonable”?

That’s the real question.

So, how do we know what we don’t know?

This is where research enters into the picture...even for something as “simple” as a form field.

Good UX doesn’t rely on:

- Personal experience
- When everyone on the team thinks the same
- Or “this should be fine” logic

It relies on:

- Edge-case thinking
- Inclusive research
- Challenging defaults
- Research isn’t only for complex flows or big redesigns.

Sometimes it’s for asking: “Who might this rule exclude?”

I wonder what Al Pacino (as a user) would say

If Al Pacino were the user here, maybe he’d shrug and say: “Sometimes it just means forget about it.” And walk away?...haha jokes apart, seriously, I wonder!

So coming back to the topic, every time a user walks away, the product loses not because of a big failure, but because of a small assumption left unquestioned.

So, how to tackle this as a design team?

Question defaults early

If a rule exists, ask why. Especially for inputs like names, locations, or identities...defaults often come from assumptions, not real constraints.

Design for edge cases, not just the majority

What feels like an “edge case” is often someone’s everyday reality. If your design works for them, it will work for everyone else too.

Validate less, allow more

Only restrict input when it’s technically necessary. If there’s no real reason to block a two-letter name, don’t.

Use real-world data examples

While designing forms, test with diverse name samples: short names, long names, special characters, single names.

Include different voices in reviews

Representation matters. A diverse team (or even diverse feedback) helps catch invisible blind spots early.

Add UX checks to form design

Treat forms like core experiences, not afterthoughts. Review error messages, validations, and constraints with the same care as major flows.

Test before assuming “it’s fine”

What works internally may fail externally. Quick usability testing can reveal silent blockers users won’t report.

Overall lesson I learnt:

- Constraints reveal our biases
- Defaults shape inclusion
- And even the smallest form field deserves thoughtful design
- UX isn’t just about making things easy—it’s about making sure everyone can even begin.

Because sometimes…

- It’s not just a validation error.
- It’s a user being told they don’t fit.