Change Your Display Name in Gmail Settings

Your Gmail display name is what appears in the "From" field when you send an email. To change it, open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select "See all settings." Go to the "Accounts and Import" tab and find the section labeled "Send mail as." Click "Edit info" next to your name, type your new name in the box, and click "Save changes."

This change takes effect when ready for new emails you send. People who receive your messages will see your new name, but your Gmail address itself (the part before @gmail.com) stays the same. If you have multiple email addresses set up to send from, you can change the display name for each one separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name is what shows in the "From" field and can be changed anytime from Gmail Settings without affecting your actual email address.
  • The process takes less than a minute: go to Settings, find "Send mail as," and click "Edit info" to type your new name.
  • If you want to change your actual Google Account name (which appears in other Google services), you need to go to myaccount.google.com instead of Gmail Settings.
  • Changing your display name does not affect your contacts, emails, or any data stored in your account.
  • If you set up multiple email addresses in Gmail, each one can have its own display name.

The Difference Between Display Name and Account Name

Gmail has two separate names that can cause confusion. Your display name is what recipients see when you email them — this is what you change in Gmail Settings. Your Google Account name is your full name registered with Google and appears in other Google services like Google Drive, YouTube, and Google Photos.

If you want to change your Google Account name instead, you cannot do it from Gmail. Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Personal info" on the left, find "Name," and click the pencil icon to edit it. This change affects your entire Google account, not just Gmail.

Step-by-Step: Changing Your Display Name

Open Gmail in your web browser and look for the gear icon in the top right corner of the page. Click it and select "See all settings" from the dropdown menu. You will land on the Settings page with several tabs across the top.

Click the "Accounts and Import" tab. Scroll down until you see the section called "Send mail as" — this shows all the email addresses you can send from. Next to your Gmail address, you will see a button that says "Edit info." Click it to open a small window where you can change your name.

Type your new name in the text box and leave the other fields alone unless you have a reason to change them. Click the "Save changes" button at the bottom of the window. Gmail will confirm the change, and you are done. The new name will appear on all emails you send from that point forward.

What Happens to Old Emails After You Change Your Name

Changing your display name does not change the name on emails you already sent. Recipients will still see your old name on those messages because the name is stored with each email when it is sent. Only new emails going forward will show your new name.

People in your contacts list will not see an automatic update either. If someone has your contact saved with your old name, their phone or email client will keep showing that old name until they manually update it themselves.

Changing Your Name on a Mobile Device

You can change your display name from the Gmail app on your phone, though the steps are slightly different. Open the Gmail app, tap your profile picture in the top right corner, and select "Manage your Google Account." Tap the "Personal info" tab, then tap "Name" and edit it there.

Note that this method changes your Google Account name across all services, not just your Gmail display name. If you only want to change what shows in the "From" field of your emails, use the web version of Gmail and follow the steps in the "Accounts and Import" tab instead.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you do not see the "Edit info" button next to your email address, you may be looking at a secondary email address that was added to your account. You can only change the display name for addresses you actually own. If the button is grayed out or missing, try refreshing the page or clearing your browser cache.

If your new name does not appear on emails you send right away, wait a few minutes and send a test email to yourself. Sometimes Gmail takes a moment to update across all servers. If it still does not show after an hour, sign out of Gmail completely and sign back in.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Gmail address itself, not just my name?

No, your Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com) cannot be changed once it is created. You can only change your display name, which is what shows in the "From" field. If you need a different email address, you would need to create a new Gmail account.

Will changing my name affect my password or security?

No, changing your display name does not affect your password, two-factor authentication, or any security settings. Your login information stays exactly the same. You will still sign in with your email address and password as usual.

Can I have different display names for different contacts?

No, your display name is the same for everyone you email. However, if you set up multiple email addresses in Gmail, each address can have its own display name. You can choose which address to send from when composing a message.

What if I change my name and then change it back?

You can change your display name as many times as you want. There is no limit to how often you can edit it, and old emails will not be affected. The change only applies to new messages you send after the update.

Does changing my Gmail name change my YouTube or Google Drive name?

If you change your display name in Gmail Settings, it only affects your Gmail display name. If you change your Google Account name at myaccount.google.com, it updates your name across YouTube, Google Drive, Google Photos, and other Google services. The two changes are separate.