diff --git a/bridge/config/config.go b/bridge/config/config.go
index a6e3c546..7b7c2f2e 100644
--- a/bridge/config/config.go
+++ b/bridge/config/config.go
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ type Protocol struct {
 	QuoteDisable           bool       // telegram
 	QuoteFormat            string     // telegram
 	QuoteLengthLimit       int        // telegram
+	RealName               string     // IRC
 	RejoinDelay            int        // IRC
 	ReplaceMessages        [][]string // all protocols
 	ReplaceNicks           [][]string // all protocols
@@ -169,6 +170,7 @@ type Protocol struct {
 	UseFirstName           bool       // telegram
 	UseUserName            bool       // discord, matrix
 	UseInsecureURL         bool       // telegram
+	UserName               string     // IRC
 	VerboseJoinPart        bool       // IRC
 	WebhookBindAddress     string     // mattermost, slack
 	WebhookURL             string     // mattermost, slack
diff --git a/bridge/irc/irc.go b/bridge/irc/irc.go
index e54f8030..ac8222c6 100644
--- a/bridge/irc/irc.go
+++ b/bridge/irc/irc.go
@@ -271,8 +271,11 @@ func (b *Birc) getClient() (*girc.Client, error) {
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	user := b.GetString("UserName")
+	if user == "" {
+		user = b.GetString("Nick")
+	}
 	// fix strict user handling of girc
-	user := b.GetString("Nick")
 	for !girc.IsValidUser(user) {
 		if len(user) == 1 || len(user) == 0 {
 			user = "matterbridge"
@@ -280,6 +283,10 @@ func (b *Birc) getClient() (*girc.Client, error) {
 		}
 		user = user[1:]
 	}
+	realName := b.GetString("RealName")
+	if realName == "" {
+		realName = b.GetString("Nick")
+	}
 
 	debug := ioutil.Discard
 	if b.GetInt("DebugLevel") == 2 {
@@ -299,7 +306,7 @@ func (b *Birc) getClient() (*girc.Client, error) {
 		Port:       port,
 		Nick:       b.GetString("Nick"),
 		User:       user,
-		Name:       b.GetString("Nick"),
+		Name:       realName,
 		SSL:        b.GetBool("UseTLS"),
 		TLSConfig:  &tls.Config{InsecureSkipVerify: b.GetBool("SkipTLSVerify"), ServerName: server}, //nolint:gosec
 		PingDelay:  pingDelay,
diff --git a/matterbridge.toml.sample b/matterbridge.toml.sample
index b6221757..f41b260d 100644
--- a/matterbridge.toml.sample
+++ b/matterbridge.toml.sample
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ Charset=""
 #REQUIRED
 Nick="matterbot"
 
+#Real name/gecos displayed in e.g. /WHOIS and /WHO
+#OPTIONAL (defaults to the nick)
+RealName="Matterbridge instance on IRC"
+
+#IRC username/ident preceding the hostname in hostmasks and /WHOIS
+#OPTIONAL (defaults to the nick)
+UserName="bridge"
+
 #If you registered your bot with a service like Nickserv on libera.
 #Also being used when UseSASL=true
 #