01
What it is
Sherlock OSINT is the use of the open-source Sherlock tool to check a single username against 400-plus social networks and websites in one pass, surfacing accounts a single-platform lookup would miss.
WhatsMyName is the default cross-platform username pivot in most Signal & Shadow workflows, including Step 04 of the Email OSINT guide. It is not the only maintained site list. Sherlock is a separately maintained, MIT-licensed project that checks a different set of 400-plus platforms using its own detection logic, so it frequently confirms a WhatsMyName hit independently, or surfaces a platform WhatsMyName does not check at all.
This guide covers running Sherlock as a companion pivot: how to install it, how to compare its results against WhatsMyName's, and when a second tool, Blackbird, is worth adding as a third opinion on a disputed or high-value hit.
When to use this guide
- Extending a WhatsMyName pivot to additional platforms it does not check
- Running a fast first-pass username sweep before deciding which platforms merit manual verification
- Investigating a handle likely to be reused on developer, gaming or niche community platforms
- Cross-validating a WhatsMyName hit against a second, independently maintained site list
