If you are having errors on the CLI then I recommend editing datadir/config.ini
The default generated on should provide a template.
Names starting with n, t, and f are being flagged by the JSON parser "null", "true", and "false".
If you don't use quotes then those names will fail.
All of this is backwards steemd will not run with any names that are started with a letter other than n, t, or f. Otherwise, it is needed to be started with a number. Why is it working the opposite of what you say?