Change Your Display Name in Gmail Settings

The name that appears when you send emails is stored in Gmail's settings, not in your Google Account itself. You can change it in about two minutes without affecting your email address or password. Open Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right, select "See all settings," then go to the "Accounts and Import" tab. Find the line that says "Send mail as" and click "edit info" next to your name.

A box will pop up showing your current display name. Delete what's there and type the new name you want people to see. You can use your full name, a nickname, a business name, or any combination—Gmail has no restrictions on what you enter here. Click "Save changes" at the bottom of the box. The change takes effect when ready on new emails you send, though emails you've already sent will still show the old name.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name (what people see when you email them) lives in Gmail settings under "Send mail as," separate from your actual Gmail address.
  • Changing your display name takes two minutes and does not affect your password, inbox, or any emails you have already received.
  • If you have multiple email addresses set up in Gmail, you can give each one a different display name.
  • The name change shows up on emails you send after the change, but old emails keep their original sender name.

Changing Your Google Account Name (Different From Display Name)

Gmail's display name is separate from your actual Google Account name, which appears in other Google services like YouTube, Google Drive, and your Google profile. If you want to change that name instead, go to myaccount.google.com, click "Personal info" on the left, then click on your name at the top. You can edit your first and last name there, and the change will roll out across Google services within a few hours.

Changing your Google Account name does not change your Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com). Your email address stays the same no matter what name you use. This is important because your Gmail address is what people use to contact you—only the display name in your sent emails changes.

What Happens When You Change Your Display Name

When you update your display name in Gmail settings, the change applies only to new emails you send. Anyone who receives an email from you after the change will see the new name in their inbox. People who received emails from you before the change will still see the old name on those old messages—Gmail does not retroactively update the sender name on past emails.

Your contacts will not be notified of the name change. If someone has you saved in their phone or address book under your old name, they will see both the old name (in their saved contact) and the new name (in your actual emails) until they manually update their contact card. This is normal and not a problem—your email address remains the same, so messages still reach you.

Managing Multiple Email Addresses in Gmail

If you have set up other email addresses to send from within Gmail (like a work email or a business email), you can give each one its own display name. In Gmail settings under "Accounts and Import," the "Send mail as" section lists all your addresses. Click "edit info" next to whichever address you want to rename, change the name, and save. Each address can have a completely different display name.

When you compose a new email, you can choose which address to send from using the dropdown menu that says "From:" at the bottom of the compose box. The display name that appears will match whichever address you selected. This is useful if you use Gmail for both personal and professional email and want each one to show a different name.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is confusing your display name with your Gmail address. Your Gmail address (username@gmail.com) cannot be changed once it is created. Only the name that appears next to your address in sent emails can be changed. If you are trying to change your actual email address, you would need to create a new Gmail account—there is no way to rename the address itself.

Another mistake is changing your Google Account name and expecting it to show up in Gmail when ready. Google Account name changes can take a few hours to appear across all services. If you need the change to show up in Gmail right away, use the "Send mail as" setting in Gmail instead, which takes effect when ready. Also, do not include special characters or extremely long names in your display name—while Gmail accepts most text, very long names may display oddly on mobile phones or in some email clients.

If You Cannot Find the Settings

If you are using Gmail on a phone or tablet, the settings layout is different. Open the Gmail app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the top left, scroll down and tap "Settings," then tap your email address. Tap "Manage your Google Account" and go to the "Personal info" tab. From there you can edit your name, though this changes your Google Account name across all services, not just Gmail's display name.

To change only your Gmail display name on mobile, you will need to open Gmail in a web browser instead of the app. Go to gmail.com in your phone's browser, tap the gear icon, and follow the same steps as on a computer. The mobile app does not have a direct way to edit the "Send mail as" display name, so the browser method is faster.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my display name affect my Gmail address?

No. Your Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com) never changes. Only the name that appears next to your address in sent emails changes. People still reach you at the same email address.

Can I change my Gmail address itself?

No, Gmail addresses cannot be changed once created. If you need a different email address, you would have to create a new Gmail account. However, you can set up other email addresses to send from within the same Gmail account and give each one a different display name.

How long does it take for the name change to show up?

Changes to your display name in Gmail settings take effect when ready on new emails. Changes to your Google Account name can take a few hours to appear across all Google services. Old emails you sent will keep their original sender name.

Can I have different names for different email addresses?

Yes. If you have multiple email addresses set up in Gmail, each one can have its own display name. When you compose an email, choose which address to send from, and the matching display name will appear to the recipient.

What if I want to change my name back?

You can change your display name as many times as you want. Go back to Gmail settings, click "edit info" next to "Send mail as," and type the name you want. There is no limit on how often you can make this change.