The two places where your name appears in Gmail
Your Gmail account holds your name in two separate places, and changing one does not change the other. The first is your Google Account name — the name that appears when you send an email, in your account settings, and across other Google services like YouTube or Google Drive. The second is your Gmail display name — a nickname or alternate name you can set just for your email inbox if you want something different from your account name.
Most people need to change their Google Account name, which is the legal or preferred name tied to your account. If you only want to change how your name looks when you send emails, you can do that separately without touching your account name. Both changes take less than five minutes.
Key Takeaways
- Your Google Account name is the primary name on your account and appears across all Google services; you change it in your account settings, not in Gmail itself.
- Your Gmail display name is optional and only affects how your name appears to recipients when you send email; you can set it separately in Gmail settings.
- Changing your account name requires you to visit myaccount.google.com, not Gmail.com, and takes effect when ready across all your Google services.
- You can change your name as many times as you want, and there is no waiting period or approval process.
How to change your Google Account name
Go to myaccount.google.com in your browser and sign in with your Gmail address and password. On the left side of the page, click Personal info. Near the top, you will see your current name. Click on it to edit.
A box will open showing your first name and last name in separate fields. Change either or both to what you want, then click Save at the bottom of the box. The change takes effect when ready. Your new name will now appear when you send emails, in your Google Drive documents, on your YouTube channel if you have one, and anywhere else your Google Account name is shown.
If you have a Google Workspace account (a business Gmail account), the process is the same, but your administrator may have restricted whether you can change your own name. If the name field is grayed out, contact your workspace administrator.
How to set a different name just for sending emails
If you want your emails to show a different name than your Google Account name, you can set a Gmail-specific display name. Go to Gmail.com, click the gear icon in the top right, then click See all settings. Click the Accounts and Import tab.
Under "Send mail as," you will see your current email address. Click Edit info next to it. A box will open where you can change the name that appears to recipients. Type the name you want to show, then click Save changes. From now on, when you send an email, recipients will see this name instead of your Google Account name — but your account name stays the same everywhere else.
You can set up multiple "send as" names if you want to send from different identities (for example, a professional name and a personal name). Each one can have its own display name.
What happens to your old name after you change it
Your old name disappears from your account. People who have your email address will see your new name the next time you send them an email. Old emails you already sent will still show your old name in their inboxes, because the email was sent with that name at the time.
Your Gmail address itself does not change — only your name changes. If your email is sarah.okafor@gmail.com, it stays that way no matter what name you put on the account. The address is separate from the name.
If you cannot find the name field
If you are on myaccount.google.com but do not see a name field under Personal info, check whether you are signed into the right account. Click your profile picture in the top right and make sure the email shown is the one you want to change. If you are signed into multiple accounts, you may be looking at the wrong one.
If you are signed into the correct account and still do not see the name field, your account may have restrictions set by a parent (if you are under 18) or by a workspace administrator (if it is a business account). In that case, you will need to contact the person who manages your account.
Changing your name on a phone or tablet
You can change your Google Account name from a phone or tablet the same way you do on a computer. Open a web browser, go to myaccount.google.com, sign in, click Personal info, click your name, make your changes, and click Save. The Gmail app on your phone does not have a name-change option, so you have to use the website.
If you are using an iPhone, you can also change your name through the Settings app: go to Settings > [Your Name] > Name, but this only works if your iPhone is signed into your Apple ID with the same email address as your Google Account. Most people find it easier to just use the website.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my name back to what it was before?
Yes. Go back to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info, click your name, change it back, and click Save. There is no limit to how many times you can change your name or how often you can do it.
Does changing my name affect my Gmail password or recovery options?
No. Your password stays the same, and your recovery email and phone number stay the same. Changing your name does not affect how you sign in or how you recover your account if you forget your password.
Will people I email see my old name in their contacts?
Their contacts may still show your old name if they saved it before you changed it. They would need to delete and re-add you to see your new name, or they can manually edit your contact in their phone or email client.
Can I use a nickname or fake name on my Gmail account?
Yes. Google does not require you to use your legal name. You can put any name you want on your account, including a nickname, stage name, or any other name you choose.
What if I share my Google Account with someone else?
Do not share your account. Each person should have their own Gmail address. If you need to share documents or calendars with someone, use Google's sharing features instead of giving them your password. If you have already shared your account, change your password when ready after you stop sharing it.