The fastest way depends on which email service you use
Most email providers let you change the display name — the name that appears when you send a message — without changing your actual email address. Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, and Apple Mail all have this option in account settings, though the steps differ slightly. If you need to change your email address itself (the part before the @), that is a separate process and usually means creating a new account and forwarding mail from the old one.
The display name change takes five minutes and does not affect your password, contacts, or stored messages. Your email address stays the same, so nobody has to update how they reach you. This is the right choice if you got married, divorced, changed your legal name, or straightforward want your messages to show a different name than your account was created under.
Key Takeaways
- Changing your display name in Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or Apple Mail takes under five minutes and does not affect your email address or password.
- Your display name is what appears in the "From" line when you send an email; your email address itself stays the same.
- If you want to change your actual email address (the part before the @), you will need to create a new account and set up mail forwarding from the old one.
- After you change your display name, old messages you sent will still show the old name, but new messages will show the new one.
How to change your name in Gmail
Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select "See all settings." Click the "Accounts and Import" tab at the top. Under "Send mail as," you will see your current email address and display name. Click "Edit info" next to it.
A box will open with a field labeled "Name." Delete the old name and type the new one. You can also change the reply-to address if you want replies to go somewhere else, but most people leave this blank. Click "Save Changes" at the bottom. Gmail will send a confirmation email to your address — open it and click the link to confirm the change. The new name will appear on all messages you send from that point forward.
How to change your name in Outlook
Go to outlook.com and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "View account" or "Manage your Microsoft account," depending on your version. Click "Your info" on the left side. You will see your name displayed at the top of the page. Click "Edit name" or the pencil icon next to it.
Type your new first and last name in the fields provided. Click "Save" when you are done. Outlook updates this when ready across all your Microsoft services, including Outlook email. The new name will show on messages you send right away. If you use Outlook on your phone or desktop, you may need to sign out and back in to see the change reflected there.
How to change your name in Yahoo Mail
Log into Yahoo Mail and click the account icon (usually your initials or a picture) in the top right. Select "Account info." On the left side, click "Personal info." You will see your name listed under "Name." Click the pencil icon to edit it.
Enter your new first and last name. Click "Save" when finished. Yahoo updates the change when ready. Like Gmail, old messages you sent will still show your old name, but new ones will display the new name. If you have Yahoo connected to other services, the name change may take a few hours to sync across all of them.
How to change your name in Apple Mail (iCloud)
Go to iCloud.com and sign in with your Apple ID. Click "Account Settings" (the gear icon). Under "Personal Information," you will see your name. Click "Edit" next to it. Type your new name and click "Save."
The change takes effect when ready on iCloud Mail. If you use Apple Mail on your Mac or iPhone, the name will update the next time you send a message. Like other providers, messages you sent before the change will still show the old name in recipients' inboxes.
What happens to your old messages and what others see
When you change your display name, it does not change the name on messages you already sent. If you sent an email to someone last month under the name "Robert," that message will still show "Robert" in their inbox even after you change it to "Bob." Only new messages going forward will show the updated name.
People who have you in their contacts may still see the old name there until they update it manually. Your email address itself never changes during a display name update, so all your incoming mail still arrives at the same place. Changing your display name also does not affect your password, two-factor authentication, or any security settings.
If you want to change your actual email address instead
Changing the part before the @ symbol is more complicated because it means creating a new email account. Most providers do not let you rename an existing address. The standard approach is to create a new account with the address you want, then set up forwarding from your old account to the new one.
In Gmail, you can add a new email address under "Send mail as" in settings and mark it as your primary address, which makes it appear as your main account to others. In Outlook and Yahoo, you can add an alias — an alternate address that sends and receives from the same inbox. Apple Mail does not offer this option as easily. If you need a completely different email address, you will have to create a new account and gradually move your contacts and subscriptions over.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will changing my display name affect my password or security?
No. Your password, two-factor authentication, and all security settings stay exactly the same. Changing your display name is purely cosmetic — it only changes what appears in the "From" line of your emails.
Can I have two different names on the same email account?
In Gmail and Outlook, you can add multiple addresses under "Send mail as" or create aliases, and choose which name to send from each time. In Yahoo and Apple Mail, you can only have one display name active at a time, though you can change it whenever you want.
Do people have to update my contact information after I change my name?
No. Your email address does not change, so messages reach you the same way. People may still see your old name in their contacts until they update it manually, but your email will work fine either way.
What if I want a completely different email address?
You will need to create a new account with the address you want. Most providers let you set up forwarding so mail sent to the old address automatically goes to the new one. You can then gradually update your contacts and subscriptions to use the new address.
How long does the name change take to show up?
Display name changes are usually when ready or take a few minutes to sync. If you use the email on your phone or desktop app, you may need to sign out and back in to see the new name appear there.