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 email address.

A box will pop up with a field that says "Name." Delete your current name and type the new one you want to use. You can use your real name, a nickname, a business name, or any text you prefer. Click "Save changes" at the bottom of the box. The new name will appear on emails you send from that moment forward.

This change only affects how your name looks to people receiving your emails. It does not change your actual Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com), and it does not affect your Google Account name used for signing in.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name is what recipients see in the "From" field and can be changed anytime without affecting your email address.
  • The display name change takes effect when ready on new emails but does not retroactively change the name on emails you already sent.
  • You can set up multiple "Send mail as" addresses if you want to send from different names or email addresses tied to the same Gmail account.
  • Changing your display name in Gmail is separate from changing your Google Account name, which affects other Google services like Drive and YouTube.

Where to Find the Display Name Setting

The display name setting lives in Gmail's "Accounts and Import" tab, not in your main account settings. Open Gmail, click the gear icon in the top right corner, and select "See all settings." You will see several tabs across the top: "General," "Labels," "Inbox," "Accounts and Import," and others. Click "Accounts and Import."

Scroll down until you see the section called "Send mail as." This section lists all the email addresses and names you can send from. If you have only one Gmail address, you will see one entry. Click "Edit info" next to your Gmail address (not the "Edit" button, which does something different). The name-editing box will open.

What Happens When You Change Your Display Name

Once you save your new display name, it appears on all emails you send going forward. People who receive your emails will see the new name in their inbox and in the email header. However, emails you sent before the change will still show your old name—Gmail does not update the name on messages already delivered.

Your Gmail address itself never changes. If your address is yourname@gmail.com, it stays that way no matter what display name you use. Recipients can still reply to you at the same address, and your inbox continues to work exactly as before. The change is purely cosmetic on the sending side.

Changing Your Google Account Name Instead

If you want to change the name associated with your entire Google Account (not just your Gmail display name), that is a different process. This name affects Google Drive, Google Photos, YouTube, and other Google services. Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Personal info" on the left side, and find "Name" near the top. Click on it and enter your new name, then click "Save."

Changing your Google Account name does not automatically change your Gmail display name. You may need to update both separately if you want them to match. Your Gmail display name takes priority when you send emails—recipients see the Gmail display name, not your Google Account name.

Setting Up Multiple Send-As Addresses

Gmail lets you send emails from different names or addresses without creating a new account. In the "Send mail as" section of "Accounts and Import," click "Add another email address you own." A box will open asking for a name and email address. You can enter a different name (like a business name or nickname) and either a Gmail address you own or a non-Gmail address.

If you add a non-Gmail address, Gmail will send you a confirmation email to that address. Click the link in the confirmation email to verify it. After that, you can choose which name and address to send from each time you compose a message. A dropdown menu appears in the "From" field when you click "Compose."

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your new display name does not appear on sent emails, wait a few minutes and refresh Gmail. Sometimes the change takes a moment to sync across Google's servers. If it still does not show, sign out of Gmail completely and sign back in.

If you cannot find the "Edit info" button in the "Send mail as" section, you may be looking at a different email address. Make sure you are clicking on the row that shows your actual Gmail address (the one ending in @gmail.com). Some accounts have multiple addresses listed, so check carefully before clicking.

If you see an error message when trying to save, check that your new name does not contain special characters like @ or #. Gmail accepts most letters, numbers, spaces, and punctuation, but a few symbols can cause problems. Try removing any unusual characters and saving again.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Gmail address itself?

No, your Gmail address (yourname@gmail.com) cannot be changed once it is created. You can only change the display name that appears next to it. If you need a different email address, you would need to create a new Gmail account.

Will changing my display name affect my password or how I sign in?

No. Your sign-in information stays the same. You still log in with your full Gmail address and password. The display name change only affects what people see when you send them an email.

Can I use a fake name or business name as my display name?

Yes. Gmail does not require you to use your real name. You can use any text you want—a nickname, a business name, a pen name, or anything else. The only limit is the character length, which is typically around 60 characters.

If I change my display name, will old emails show the new name?

No. Emails you already sent will continue to show the name you used when you sent them. Only new emails going forward will show your updated display name.

What is the difference between my display name and my Google Account name?

Your display name is what appears in the "From" field of your emails. Your Google Account name is what appears in other Google services like Drive and YouTube. They are separate and can be different. Your Gmail display name takes priority when sending emails.