Edit

You cannot add a user name or an object name that only differs by a character with a diacritic mark

  • Article

This article provides a solution to an issue where you can't add a user name or an object name that only differs by a character with a diacritic mark.

Applies to:   Windows Server 2012 R2
Original KB number:   938447

Symptoms

You try to add a new user or a new object to the Active Directory directory service. However, the user or the object is not added. Additionally, you may receive any one of the following error messages:

  • Error message 1:

    The object username could not be created.
    The problem encountered was;
    An attempt was made to add an object to the directory with a name that is already in use.

  • Error message 2:

    Windows cannot create the new user object because the name username is already in use. Select another name, and try again.

  • Error message 3:

    Windows cannot create the specified object because: The specified user already exists.

  • Error message 4:

    The user logon name you have chosen is already in use in this enterprise. Choose another logon name, and then try again.

Note

In these error messages, username is the name of the user or of the object that you tried to add.

Cause

This problem occurs because the user name or the object name contains diacritic marks, for example, German umlauts. A German umlaut character contains a dieresis over the base character itself, such as in the following characters:

  • Ä ä
  • Ö ö
  • Ü ü

The German umlaut characters are interpreted to be the same as their base characters. For example, the ü character is interpreted to be the same as the u character. When this problem occurs, a user who is named Muller cannot be created if a user who is named Müller already exists. Similarly, a user who is named Meissner cannot be created if a user who is named Meißner already exists.

Resolution

To resolve this problem, use a different name for the user or for the object that you want to add.

Status

This behavior is by design.

More information

Microsoft has published rules for valid characters for various object types that further reduces the freedom of name choice. For more information, see Naming conventions in Active Directory for computers, domains, sites, and OUs.