Issue with scanners and strings

[Sharoo]

Hi everyone,
So I have written a code which allows for a user to input a name through the use of a scanner and then using a while statement, an array is searched through to see if the name already exists within the array. My problem here is that whenever I input a name into the scanner that I know is on the array the code seems to disregard it and report that the name does not exist within the array. Any help would be appreciated.

import java.util.*;

public class test
{
private static int size = 20;
private String customerName[];

public void customerName()
{
customerName = new String[size];
customerName[0] = "Joshua";
customerName[1] = "Sandee";
customerName[2] = "Sam";
customerName[3] = "Laure";
customerName[4] = "Joseph";
int place = 0;
String name;
Scanner in = new Scanner(System.in);
System.out.print("What is the customers name:");
name = in.nextLine();
System.out.print("Your name is " +name);
while (place <customerName.length && name != customerName[place])
{
place++;
//This is just in place to make sure the while statment goes through the entire array
System.out.println("Hi");
}
if (place == customerName.length)
{
System.out.println("Unknown member.");
}
else
{
System.out.print("Already a member.");
}
}
}

[Tolls]

name != customerName[place]

You compare objects (and Strings are objects) using equals(), not == or !=.

[Sharoo]

Oh okay thank you and one more question is there an equivlaent of != too in words, if you understand what I'm asking. Sorry I'm still only starting Java.

[Tolls]

!someString.equals(someOtherString)

[Sharoo]

Thank you so very much :)