The present teaching relates to generating an identifier for a person. In one example, an actual name of the person is received. The identity of the person that is associated with the actual name of the person is proved at a pre-determined level of assurance (LOA) required by an identity management system. When the identity of the person has been proved, a peripheral name is solicited from the person. An identifier that includes the actual name and the peripheral name of the person is created. Whether the identifier is unique is determined. The steps of soliciting, creating, and determining are repeated until the identifier is unique. The peripheral name is associated with the person. The identifier is associated with the person.