Change your display name directly in your email settings

The name that appears when you send an email—called your display name—is separate from your email address itself. You cannot change your actual email address (the part before the @) without creating a new account, but you can change what name shows up to people who receive your messages. This takes about two minutes and requires only access to your account settings.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you use Gmail, Outlook, Yahoo, or another provider, but all of them store this information in the same place: your account settings or profile section. You do not need to contact customer support or verify your identity again—you already have permission to make this change because you own the account.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name (what recipients see) is different from your email address and can be changed anytime without losing your account.
  • Gmail, Outlook, and Yahoo each have their own settings page where you update this information, but the process takes under five minutes for any provider.
  • Changes to your display name take effect when ready on new messages but may not update on emails you already sent.
  • If you want to change your actual email address, you must create a new account and forward mail from the old one, or use your provider's address alias feature if available.

How to change your name in Gmail

Open Gmail and click the gear icon in the top right corner, then select See all settings. Go to the Accounts and Import tab. Under the section labeled 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 current name and type the new one you want to use. You can include a first name, last name, nickname, business name, or any combination. Click Save Changes at the bottom. The new name will appear on all emails you send from that point forward.

How to change your name in Outlook or Microsoft 365

Sign into your Outlook account at outlook.com or outlook.office.com. Click your profile picture or initials in the top right corner and select View account. On the left side, click Your info. You will see a field for your name at the top of the page.

Click on the name field to edit it. Type your new name and click Save. If you use Outlook through Microsoft 365 at work, the process is the same, but your organization may restrict what names you can use. The change takes effect when ready on new messages.

How to change your name in Yahoo Mail

Log into your Yahoo Mail account. Click the profile icon in the top right corner and select Account info. On the left side, click Personal info. You will see your name displayed near the top of the page.

Click Edit next to your name. Type your new name in the field that appears and click Save. Yahoo will confirm the change and return you to your account. Like Gmail and Outlook, this change applies only to your display name and does not affect your email address.

What happens when you change your display name

When you update your display name, the change takes effect when ready on all new emails you send. People who receive messages from you after the change will see the new name. However, emails you sent before the change will still show your old name in their inboxes—changing your display name does not rewrite the past.

Your contacts will not receive a notification that you changed your name. If you want people to know about the change, you can send them a message mentioning it. Your email address itself never changes when you update your display name, so all your existing contacts can still reach you at the same address.

If you want to change your actual email address

Your email address (the part before the @) cannot be changed on an existing account. If you need a different email address, you must create a new account with the address you want. You can then set up mail forwarding from your old account to your new one so you do not miss messages sent to the old address.

In Gmail, go to Settings > Forwarding and POP/IMAP and click Add a forwarding address. In Outlook, go to Settings > Mail > Forwarding. In Yahoo, go to Settings > Forwarding. Forwarding typically works for several months, giving you time to notify contacts of your new address. Some providers also offer an alias feature, which lets you send from a different address without creating a separate account—ask your provider whether this option is available to you.

Troubleshooting common issues

If your new display name does not appear after you save it, try signing out and signing back in. Sometimes the change takes a few minutes to sync across all devices. If you are using the email through a work or school account, your organization may have locked the name field to prevent changes—contact your IT department in that case.

If you see an error message when you try to save, check that you have not used special characters that your provider does not allow. Most providers accept letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes, but not symbols like @ or &. If the problem persists, try a different browser or clear your browser cache and try again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use different display names for different contacts?

No. Your display name is the same for everyone who receives your emails. However, you can create multiple email accounts if you need to send from different names—for example, one for personal use and one for business. Each account has its own display name setting.

Will changing my display name affect my password or security?

No. Your password and security settings are tied to your email address, not your display name. Changing your display name does not reset your password or require you to verify your identity again. Your account security remains exactly the same.

Can I change my display name back to what it was before?

Yes. You can change your display name as many times as you want by going back to the same settings page and editing the name field again. There is no limit to how many times you can make this change.

What if I share my email account with someone else?

If multiple people use the same email account, changing the display name will affect all outgoing messages from that account, regardless of who sends them. If you need separate names, each person should have their own email account. You can set up forwarding between accounts so no messages are missed.

Does my display name show up in my email signature?

Your display name is separate from your email signature. The display name appears in the "From" line of your message. Your signature is text you add manually at the bottom of emails and can include your name, title, phone number, or any other information you choose. You set up your signature in your email settings under a section usually called "Signature" or "Compose".