---
title: "CURRENT_USER (Transact-SQL) | Microsoft Docs"
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  - "usernames [SQL Server]"
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---
# CURRENT_USER (Transact-SQL)
[!INCLUDE[tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md](../../includes/tsql-appliesto-ss2008-all-md.md)]

Returns the name of the current user. This function is equivalent to USER_NAME().
  
![Topic link icon](../../database-engine/configure-windows/media/topic-link.gif "Topic link icon") [Transact-SQL Syntax Conventions](../../t-sql/language-elements/transact-sql-syntax-conventions-transact-sql.md)
  
## Syntax  
  
```sql
CURRENT_USER  
```  

## Return types
**sysname**
  
## Remarks  
CURRENT_USER returns the name of the current security context. If CURRENT_USER is executed after a call to EXECUTE AS switches context, CURRENT_USER will return the name of the impersonated context. If a Windows principal accessed the database by way of membership in a group, the name of the Windows principal will be returned instead of the name of the group.
  
To return the login of the current user, see [SUSER_NAME (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/suser-name-transact-sql.md) and [SYSTEM_USER (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/system-user-transact-sql.md).
  
## Examples  
  
### A. Using CURRENT_USER to return the current user name  
The following example returns the name of the current user.
  
```sql
SELECT CURRENT_USER;  
GO  
```  
  
### B. Using CURRENT_USER as a DEFAULT constraint  
The following example creates a table that uses `CURRENT_USER` as a `DEFAULT` constraint for the `order_person` column on a sales row.
  
```sql
USE AdventureWorks2012;  
GO  
IF EXISTS (SELECT TABLE_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES  
      WHERE TABLE_NAME = 'orders22')  
   DROP TABLE orders22;  
GO  
SET NOCOUNT ON;  
CREATE TABLE orders22  
(  
order_id int IDENTITY(1000, 1) NOT NULL,
cust_id  int NOT NULL,
order_date smalldatetime NOT NULL DEFAULT GETDATE(),
order_amt money NOT NULL,
order_person char(30) NOT NULL DEFAULT CURRENT_USER
);  
GO  
```  
  
The following code inserts a record in the table. The user that is executing these statements is named `Wanida`.
  
```sql
INSERT orders22 (cust_id, order_amt)  
VALUES (5105, 577.95);  
GO  
SET NOCOUNT OFF;  
GO  
```  
  
The following query selects all information from the `orders22` table.
  
```sql
SELECT * FROM orders22;  
GO  
```  
  
[!INCLUDE[ssResult](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]
  
```
order_id    cust_id     order_date           order_amt    order_person
----------- ----------- -------------------- ------------ ------------
1000        5105        2005-04-03 23:34:00  577.95       Wanida
  
(1 row(s) affected)
```
  
### C. Using CURRENT_USER from an impersonated context  
In the following example, user `Wanida` executes the following [!INCLUDE[tsql](../../includes/tsql-md.md)] code.
  
```sql
SELECT CURRENT_USER;  
GO  
EXECUTE AS USER = 'Arnalfo';  
GO  
SELECT CURRENT_USER;  
GO  
REVERT;  
GO  
SELECT CURRENT_USER;  
GO  
```  
  
[!INCLUDE[ssResult](../../includes/ssresult-md.md)]
  
```
Wanida
Arnalfo
Wanida
```
  
## See also
[USER_NAME (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/user-name-transact-sql.md)  
[SYSTEM_USER (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/functions/system-user-transact-sql.md)  
[sys.database_principals (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-catalog-views/sys-database-principals-transact-sql.md)  
[ALTER TABLE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/alter-table-transact-sql.md)  
[CREATE TABLE (Transact-SQL)](../../t-sql/statements/create-table-transact-sql.md)  
[System Functions (Transact-SQL)](../../relational-databases/system-functions/system-functions-for-transact-sql.md)