diff --git a/apps/comments-ui/src/AppContext.ts b/apps/comments-ui/src/AppContext.ts
index f1284d1df2..694dcf71e4 100644
--- a/apps/comments-ui/src/AppContext.ts
+++ b/apps/comments-ui/src/AppContext.ts
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export type Comment = {
         replies: number,
         likes: number,
     },
-    member: Member,
+    member: Member | null,
     edited_at: string,
     created_at: string,
     html: string
diff --git a/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Avatar.tsx b/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Avatar.tsx
index 1ae4bc319f..838a02fc75 100644
--- a/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Avatar.tsx
+++ b/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Avatar.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import {ReactComponent as AvatarIcon} from '../../images/icons/avatar.svg';
 import {Comment, useAppContext} from '../../AppContext';
-import {getInitials} from '../../utils/helpers';
+import {getMemberInitialsFromComment} from '../../utils/helpers';
 
 function getDimensionClasses() {
     return 'w-8 h-8';
@@ -64,19 +64,7 @@ export const Avatar: React.FC<AvatarProps> = ({comment}) => {
         return `hsl(${hsl[0]}, ${hsl[1]}%, ${hsl[2]}%)`;
     };
 
-    const commentGetInitials = () => {
-        if (comment && !comment.member) {
-            return getInitials(t('Deleted member'));
-        }
-
-        const commentMember = (comment ? comment.member : member);
-
-        if (!commentMember || !commentMember.name) {
-            return getInitials(t('Anonymous'));
-        }
-        return getInitials(commentMember.name);
-    };
-
+    const memberInitials = (comment && getMemberInitialsFromComment(comment, t)) || '';
     const commentMember = (comment ? comment.member : member);
 
     const bgColor = HSLtoString(generateHSL());
@@ -88,7 +76,7 @@ export const Avatar: React.FC<AvatarProps> = ({comment}) => {
         <>
             {memberName ?
                 (<div className={`flex items-center justify-center rounded-full ${dimensionClasses}`} data-testid="avatar-background" style={avatarStyle}>
-                    <p className="font-sans text-base font-semibold text-white">{ commentGetInitials() }</p>
+                    <p className="font-sans text-base font-semibold text-white">{memberInitials}</p>
                 </div>) :
                 (<div className={`flex items-center justify-center rounded-full bg-neutral-900 dark:bg-[rgba(255,255,255,0.7)] ${dimensionClasses}`} data-testid="avatar-background" >
                     <AvatarIcon className="stroke-white dark:stroke-[rgba(0,0,0,0.6)]" />
diff --git a/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Comment.tsx b/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Comment.tsx
index 3cd826a6fd..d949656904 100644
--- a/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Comment.tsx
+++ b/apps/comments-ui/src/components/content/Comment.tsx
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import ReplyForm from './forms/ReplyForm';
 import {Avatar, BlankAvatar} from './Avatar';
 import {Comment, useAppContext, useLabs} from '../../AppContext';
 import {Transition} from '@headlessui/react';
-import {formatExplicitTime, isCommentPublished} from '../../utils/helpers';
+import {formatExplicitTime, getMemberNameFromComment, isCommentPublished} from '../../utils/helpers';
 import {useRelativeTime} from '../../utils/hooks';
 import {useState} from 'react';
 
@@ -196,10 +196,9 @@ const ReplyFormBox: React.FC<ReplyFormBoxProps> = ({comment, isInReplyMode, clos
 // -- Published comment components --
 //
 
-// TODO: move name detection to helper
 const AuthorName: React.FC<{comment: Comment}> = ({comment}) => {
     const {t} = useAppContext();
-    const name = !comment.member ? t('Deleted member') : (comment.member.name ? comment.member.name : t('Anonymous'));
+    const name = getMemberNameFromComment(comment, t);
     return (
         <h4 className="text-[rgb(23,23,23] font-sans text-base font-bold leading-snug sm:text-sm dark:text-[rgba(255,255,255,0.85)]">
             {name}
diff --git a/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.test.ts b/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.test.ts
index 37dcfd936e..e2976467a8 100644
--- a/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.test.ts
+++ b/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.test.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import * as helpers from './helpers';
+import {buildAnonymousMember, buildComment, buildDeletedMember} from '../../test/utils/fixtures';
 
 describe('formatNumber', function () {
     it('adds commas to large numbers', function () {
@@ -17,3 +18,47 @@ describe('formatNumber', function () {
         expect((helpers.formatNumber as any)(null)).toEqual('');
     });
 });
+
+describe('getMemberNameFromComment', function () {
+    function testName(member: any | null, expected: string) {
+        const t = (str: string) => str;
+        const comment = buildComment();
+        comment.member = member;
+        const name = helpers.getMemberNameFromComment(comment, t);
+        expect(name).to.equal(expected);
+    }
+
+    it('handles deleted member', function () {
+        testName(buildDeletedMember(), 'Deleted member');
+    });
+
+    it('handles anonymous comment', function () {
+        testName(buildAnonymousMember(), 'Anonymous');
+    });
+
+    it('handles a member with a name', function () {
+        testName({name: 'Test member'}, 'Test member');
+    });
+});
+
+describe('getMemberInitialsFromComment', function () {
+    function testInitials(member: any | null, expected: string) {
+        const t = (str: string) => str;
+        const comment = buildComment();
+        comment.member = member;
+        const initials = helpers.getMemberInitialsFromComment(comment, t);
+        expect(initials).to.equal(expected);
+    }
+
+    it('handles deleted member', function () {
+        testInitials(buildDeletedMember(), 'DM');
+    });
+
+    it('handles anonymous comment', function () {
+        testInitials(buildAnonymousMember(), 'A');
+    });
+
+    it('handles a member with a name', function () {
+        testInitials({name: 'Test member'}, 'TM');
+    });
+});
diff --git a/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.ts b/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.ts
index 2e8d14b515..7fb406139e 100644
--- a/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.ts
+++ b/apps/comments-ui/src/utils/helpers.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {Comment, TranslationFunction} from '../AppContext';
+import {Comment, Member, TranslationFunction} from '../AppContext';
 
 export function formatNumber(number: number): string {
     if (number !== 0 && !number) {
@@ -116,6 +116,26 @@ export function getInitials(name: string): string {
     return parts[0].substring(0, 1).toLocaleUpperCase() + parts[parts.length - 1].substring(0, 1).toLocaleUpperCase();
 }
 
+export function getMemberName(member: Member | null, t: TranslationFunction) {
+    if (!member) {
+        return t('Deleted member');
+    }
+
+    if (!member.name) {
+        return t('Anonymous');
+    }
+
+    return member.name;
+}
+
+export function getMemberNameFromComment(comment: Comment, t: TranslationFunction) {
+    return getMemberName(comment.member, t);
+}
+
+export function getMemberInitialsFromComment(comment: Comment, t: TranslationFunction) {
+    return getInitials(getMemberName(comment.member, t));
+}
+
 // Rudimentary check for screen width
 // Note, this should be the same as breakpoint defined in Tailwind config
 export function isMobile() {
diff --git a/apps/comments-ui/test/utils/fixtures.ts b/apps/comments-ui/test/utils/fixtures.ts
index 2417ee94a8..6d2e2b9eb8 100644
--- a/apps/comments-ui/test/utils/fixtures.ts
+++ b/apps/comments-ui/test/utils/fixtures.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,14 @@ export function buildMember(override: any = {}) {
     };
 }
 
+export function buildDeletedMember() {
+    return null;
+}
+
+export function buildAnonymousMember(override: any = {}) {
+    return buildMember({...override, name: ''});
+}
+
 export function buildSettings(override: any = {}) {
     return {
         meta: {},