Change your YouTube display name in Settings

Your YouTube display name is the name viewers see on your channel and next to your comments. To change it, sign into your YouTube account, click your profile icon in the top right corner, and select Create a channel if you haven't already, or go to Settings if you have. From Settings, click Basic info on the left side. You'll see a field labeled Channel name — this is what you edit to change your display name.

Type your new name into that field and click Save. The change takes effect when ready, though it may take a few minutes to appear everywhere across YouTube — in your uploads, comments, and channel header. You can change your display name as often as you want, with no limit on how many times you do it.

If you don't see a Basic info option, your account may be linked to a Google Account rather than a YouTube-specific account. In that case, your display name is controlled through your Google Account settings instead, which we cover in the next section.

Key Takeaways

  • YouTube display names are changed through Settings > Basic info > Channel name, and the change appears within minutes.
  • You can change your display name as many times as you want with no restrictions or waiting period.
  • If your account is linked to a Google Account, you change your name through Google Account settings, not YouTube Settings.
  • Your display name change affects your channel header, uploads, and comments, but does not change your email address or account login.
  • Changing your display name does not affect your channel URL or any videos you've already uploaded.

Change your name through Google Account settings

If your YouTube account is connected to a Google Account, your display name is managed through Google's main account settings, not through YouTube itself. To change it, go to myaccount.google.com, click Personal info on the left side, and find the Name field near the top. Click the pencil icon next to your current name to edit it.

Enter your new first and last name, then click Save. This change will appear on your YouTube channel within a few minutes. Unlike YouTube-only display names, changes to a Google Account name affect not just YouTube but also Gmail, Google Drive, and any other Google service linked to that account.

If you're unsure whether your YouTube account is linked to a Google Account, the simplest way to check is to try the YouTube Settings route first. If you see the Basic info option, you have a YouTube-specific account. If you don't, your account is Google-linked and you'll need to use Google Account settings instead.

Understand the difference between display name and channel URL

Your display name is what people see when they visit your channel or read your comments. Your channel URL is the web address of your channel — something like youtube.com/@yourname. These are separate things, and changing one does not change the other.

When you first create a channel, YouTube may assign you a channel URL based on your display name, but after that they are independent. You can change your display name ten times without affecting your channel URL. If you want to change your channel URL itself, that requires a different process: go to Settings, click Basic info, and look for the Channel URL field. You can customize it once every 90 days, and only if your channel has been active for at least 30 days.

What happens to your old name after you change it

When you change your display name, your old name disappears from your channel, comments, and uploads. Viewers will see only your new name going forward. However, the change does not affect your account login — you still sign in with your email address and password, exactly as before.

If you had a custom channel URL based on your old name, that URL continues to work and will redirect to your channel automatically. Your subscriber count, video history, and all other channel data remain unchanged. The name change is purely cosmetic from the viewer's perspective.

Change your channel name if you have a brand account

A brand account is a YouTube account managed by multiple people — common for businesses, organizations, or collaborative channels. If you manage a brand account, the process for changing the display name is the same: go to Settings, click Basic info, and edit the Channel name field.

However, brand accounts have one important difference: any manager of the account can change the display name, not just the owner. If you notice your channel name has changed and you didn't do it, another manager with access to the account made the change. You can see who has access to your brand account by going to Settings and clicking Permissions on the left side.

Troubleshoot if you cannot find the name field

If you go to Settings and don't see a Basic info option, your account may be too new. YouTube requires channels to be at least a few days old before you can customize certain settings. Wait a few days and try again.

If you still don't see it, your account is likely linked to a Google Account, and you need to change your name through myaccount.google.com instead. Another possibility is that you're signed into the wrong account — check your profile icon to confirm you're logged into the channel you want to edit.

If you're using a school or work account managed by an organization, your administrator may have restricted your ability to change your display name. Contact your organization's IT or account administrator to request the change.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my YouTube name more than once?

Yes. You can change your display name as many times as you want with no waiting period or limit. Each change takes effect within a few minutes. However, your channel URL can only be customized once every 90 days.

Does changing my YouTube name affect my email or password?

No. Your display name is separate from your login credentials. You sign into YouTube with your email address and password, and those do not change when you change your display name. Only the name viewers see on your channel changes.

What if I want to change my name back to what it was before?

You can change your display name back at any time by going to Settings > Basic info and typing your old name into the Channel name field. There is no restriction on reverting to a previous name or changing between names repeatedly.

Will my subscribers see my old name or new name?

Your subscribers will see only your new name. The old name disappears from your channel, comments, and video uploads. However, if they watched a video before you changed your name, they may remember the old name — the change only affects what they see going forward.

Can I have different names on different YouTube channels?

Yes. If you manage multiple YouTube channels, each one can have its own display name. Changes to one channel's name do not affect your other channels. You change each channel's name separately through its own Settings.