diff --git a/cogs/message_listener/__init__.py b/cogs/message_listener/__init__.py
index da7d7d3..3cfa07b 100644
--- a/cogs/message_listener/__init__.py
+++ b/cogs/message_listener/__init__.py
@@ -43,7 +43,9 @@ class SubmissionListener(commands.Cog, name="Message Listener"):
                         files=[await attch.to_file() for attch in message.attachments],
                     )
                 elif state == SubmissionState.NAME and message.content:
-                    submission_objects[message.author.id]["username"] = message.content[:12]
+                    submission_objects[message.author.id]["username"] = message.content[
+                        : highscores_data["username_length"]
+                    ]
                     embed = get_submission_embed(message.author.id)
                     await submission_message.edit(
                         embed=embed,
diff --git a/cogs/submission/submission_views.py b/cogs/submission/submission_views.py
index 301a2e9..6918a08 100644
--- a/cogs/submission/submission_views.py
+++ b/cogs/submission/submission_views.py
@@ -201,7 +201,9 @@ class SubmissionCreateButton(nextcord.ui.View):
             "boss_name": boss_name,
             "score": "",
             "category": "",
-            "username": interaction.user.display_name.split("|")[0][:12],
+            "username": interaction.user.display_name.split("|")[0][
+                : highscores_data["username_length"]
+            ],
         }
 
         embed = get_submission_embed(interaction.user.id)
diff --git a/utilities/data_storage.py b/utilities/data_storage.py
index 7f06c94..d29ea49 100644
--- a/utilities/data_storage.py
+++ b/utilities/data_storage.py
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ def open_highscores_data():
             data = json.load(file)
     else:
         # create the json object
-        data = {"highscore_channel_id": -1, "verification_channel_id": -1}
+        data = {"highscore_channel_id": -1, "verification_channel_id": -1, "username_length": 12}
         config: dict = open_highscores_config()
         for boss, categories in config["highscore_table"].items():
             data[boss] = {"message_id": 0}
diff --git a/utilities/utils.py b/utilities/utils.py
index df5de74..8162a3a 100644
--- a/utilities/utils.py
+++ b/utilities/utils.py
@@ -77,9 +77,9 @@ async def submit_score(
 
     boss_category_config = highscores_config["categories"][category]
 
-    # capping to 12 characters because runescape names are 12 characters long.
     # Splitting on pipe. My discord has multiple names on account split by pipe.
-    user = user.split("|")[0][:12]
+    # cap length to data defined length.
+    user = user.split("|")[0][: highscores_data["username_length"]]
 
     # strip leading zeros and colon from score
     score = score.lstrip("0:")