(Simply) Guest Author Name
by A. Jones · Uncategorized
Also makes 4 other plugins · 3.7K+ installs across the portfolio →
Create a post and override the author name with one or more names or text. You can also create a link for the author name field
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
B 81/100
no flags
Active installs
2K+
≈2.5K estimated
Momentum
+32%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Add “name”, “guest authors” and “author description” to your wp.org tags. You rank #6, #7 and #9 for them without listing them, close enough for a declared tag to move you up. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so with 3 listed these are the slots worth spending.
81 health vs 58 average across 25,763 Uncategorized plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →2.5%
of downloads still active
At least 2K of 81.5K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Uncategorized plugin keeps 0.6%, across 17,773 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Uncategorized plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 1 release in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 253 days ago, past the ~180 days where wp.org starts discounting
Tested up to WordPress 6.9.11, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 23 reviews, smoothed to 4.29★ and held back under 25 reviews
3 of 5 tags set · short description in place
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
33
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.6
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
8%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.1
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| author name | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| guest author name your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| override author name your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| guest | #4 | #7 | 0 |
| guest author | #6 | #9 | 0 |
| name | #6 | #6 | down 1 |
| byline | #5 | #4 | down 1 |
| guest posts | #6 | #7 | down 1 |
| guest authors | #7 | #11 | 0 |
| names | #11 | #15 | 0 |
| author override | #5 | #6 | 0 |
| author description | #9 | #10 | 0 |
| simply | #15 | #19 | down 2 |
| guests | #10 | #12 | 0 |
| guest post | #10 | #14 | down 3 |
| override | #15 | #17 | 0 |
| custom author name | #7 | #9 | 0 |
| author bio | #12 | #11 | 0 |
| author your tag | #20 | #15 | down 5 |
| post guest | #7 | #9 | 0 |
75 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 43 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words).
What to do about it
- Add “name”, “guest authors” and “author description” to your wp.org tags. You rank #6, #7 and #9 for them without listing them, close enough for a declared tag to move you up. WordPress.org counts only your first five tags, so with 3 listed these are the slots worth spending.
- Slipping on “author”. Down 5 places since 2026-09-18, now #20. Check what shipped around then, and what moved above you.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,490 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 4.5K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
1
releases in the last 12 months
8mo ago
latest release · v4.42 · 22 Feb 2026
3
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin · 75% run the current release. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “2K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 7 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 3 May 2018
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ LN-CWM2.7y ago
This plugin does the job simply and efficiently. I’ve tried others, and most are over-complex for my needs. The developer is very quick to respond to support issues on the WordPress plugin forum. Updates quickly when necessary. Highly recommended!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ stuffplastic3.1y ago
This was just what I was looking for and works seamlessly. Thanks
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ kbuhl3.1y ago
Can’t live without this handy plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jojoba0073.8y ago
Hi, this plugin has a conflict with the WooCommerce Product Quick Edit function. Whem this plugin is installed the Quick Edit function isnt working anymore, as soon as I disable this plugin the Quick Edit will work again. Maybe something to look at for the developer. Had the issue on multiple WooCommerce installs.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ eeuropa4.3y ago
Hi, regularly installed, this Plugin doesn’t display my Posts…… How to fix it?? Thanks
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Martinez5.0y ago
without any additional effort. Thanks.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ ericmiller945.0y ago
excellent plugin
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ sharonvillines5.5y ago
Just what we needed to assign the proper author when transferring a wiki that assigned the transferring person as the author of all entries. Also used when one person enters data for another. Very easy to use. This topic was modified 5 years, 1 month ago by sharonvillines.
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 4.42 Fix: Security fix broke punctuation 4.42
- — Version 4.41 Fix: Security fix broke unicode characters 4.41
- — Version 4.40 Fix for reported patchstack security issue Fix empty settings issue 4.40
- — Version 4.36 Declare $comment_list 4.36
- — Version 4.35 Unable to duplicate security issue reported by the hard working volunteers at wordpress.org, but did find an issue with the guest author description. This may unavoidably cause issues on some sites. Added more escaping & 4.35
- — Version 4.34 Remove error loging 4.34
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 2 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (4.42). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Medium · 6.4 (Simply) Guest Author Name <= 4.36 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2025-07-04 CVE-2025-24764 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.36 Patched in 4.40
- Patched Medium · 6.4 (Simply) Guest Author Name <= 4.34 - Authenticated (Contributor+) Stored Cross-Site Scripting ↗2024-01-26 CVE-2024-0254 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects <= 4.34 Patched in 4.35
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
4 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Create a post and override the author name with one or more names or text. You can also create a link for t..."
- ! Has a FAQ Only 2 questions in the FAQ; 3 or more gives an assistant something to match.
- ! FAQ asks real questions 0 of 2 FAQ entries are headings, not questions ("undefined").
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Elementor.
- ! Headings and lists 1 heading and 0 lists; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 1,427 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 2 of 3 tags appear in the text; "Override Author Name" does not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-04-07 3K+ → 2K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-04-06 2K+ → 3K+ up after 15 days in tier
- 2026-03-22 3K+ → 2K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2026-03-20 2K+ → 3K+ up after 1 days in tier
- 2026-03-19 3K+ → 2K+ down after 1 days in tier
- 2026-03-18 2K+ → 3K+ up after 2 days in tier
- 2026-03-16 3K+ → 2K+ down after 5 days in tier
- 2026-03-11 2K+ → 3K+ up after 2 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
Edit Author Slug 100K+ installs · 4.7★ · 1 shared tag C - W WP Meta and Date Remover 80K+ installs · 4.2★ · 1 shared tag B
-
Hide/Remove Metadata 20K+ installs · 3.7★ · 1 shared tag B - D Disable Author Archives 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag B
-
Meks Smart Author Widget 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag C -
VK Post Author Display 10K+ installs · 4.1★ · 1 shared tag A
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for (Simply) Guest Author Name into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/guest-author-name" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="(Simply) Guest Author Name — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> (Simply) Guest Author Name: 2K+ active installs, 4.7★ (23 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-02. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/guest-author-name
Spotted a number that looks wrong? Report a data issue and we'll check it against the source.