What you're actually changing in Gmail

When you change your name in Gmail, you're changing the display name that appears when you send emails — not your email address itself. The name shows up in the "From:" line of messages you send and in your Gmail profile. Your actual email address (the part before @gmail.com) stays the same.

This is different from changing your Google Account name, which affects your entire Google ecosystem. For most people, changing just the Gmail display name is what they need, and it takes less than a minute.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Gmail display name is what recipients see in the "From:" line and can be changed without affecting your email address.
  • You change it in Gmail Settings under the "Accounts and Import" tab, not in your Google Account settings.
  • The change takes effect when ready on new emails you send, but old emails keep the old name.
  • If you use Gmail through a work or school account, your administrator may have locked this setting and you'll need to contact them.
  • You can have multiple display names and switch between them when composing emails if you set up sending addresses.

Steps to change your display name in Gmail

Open Gmail in your web browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select "See all settings" from the dropdown menu. This takes you to the full Settings page.

Click the "Accounts and Import" tab at the top. Under the section labeled "Send mail as", you'll see your current email address and display name. Click "Edit info" next to it. A box will pop up with a field labeled "Name" — this is where your current display name appears. Delete it and type the name you want to use instead. Click "Save changes" at the bottom of the box.

Gmail will ask you to confirm the change by sending a verification email to your address. Open that email and click the confirmation link. Once you confirm, the new name takes effect when ready on all emails you send going forward.

What happens to old emails and why the name doesn't change everywhere

Emails you've already sent keep the old display name in recipients' inboxes — Gmail doesn't retroactively update them. Only new emails you compose after the change will show the new name.

Your Gmail display name is separate from your Google Account name, which is why changing one doesn't change the other. If you also want to change the name associated with your entire Google Account (the one that shows in Google Drive, Google Photos, and other Google services), you'll need to do that in a different place: go to myaccount.google.com, click "Personal info" on the left, and edit the name field there. That change is separate and takes a few minutes to sync across Google services.

If you can't find the "Send mail as" option

If the "Send mail as" section doesn't appear in your Accounts and Import tab, your Gmail account is likely managed by an organization — a school, employer, or other institution. In that case, the administrator has restricted who can change display names.

Contact your IT department or account administrator and ask them to change your display name for you, or ask whether they can unlock the setting so you can change it yourself. They have the ability to do this from their admin console.

Using multiple display names with the same email address

If you want to send emails under different names from the same Gmail address — for example, "John Smith" for work and "J. Smith" for personal use — you can set up multiple sending addresses. In the same "Send mail as" section, click "Add another email address". Gmail will ask you to verify the new address, and once you do, you can choose which name to send from when you compose a new email.

When you're writing a message, look for the "From:" line at the top of the compose window. Click on it to see all your sending addresses and pick the one you want to use for that particular email. This is useful if you manage multiple roles or projects from one Gmail account.

Troubleshooting: Changes not showing up

If you've changed your display name but old contacts still see the old name, they're seeing what Gmail cached from your previous emails. Their email client isn't automatically updating old messages. New emails you send will show the correct name.

If the change doesn't seem to have saved at all, make sure you clicked "Save changes" in the edit box and then confirmed the verification email Gmail sent you. If you skipped the verification step, the change won't take effect. Go back to Settings, click "Edit info" again, and look for a message asking you to verify — Gmail will resend the confirmation email if needed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Gmail address itself, not just the display name?

No, you cannot change the actual email address (the part before @gmail.com). If you need a different email address, you would need to create a new Gmail account. However, you can add alternate email addresses to your account and choose which one to send from using the "Send mail as" feature described above.

Will changing my display name affect my Google Account password or security?

No. Changing your display name is a cosmetic change only. It does not affect your password, two-factor authentication, recovery email, or any security settings. Your account security remains exactly the same.

How long does it take for the name change to show up in other people's inboxes?

The new name appears when ready in emails you send after making the change. Recipients will see it in the "From:" line of new messages. Old emails they received from you will still show the old name, since those messages are already in their inbox.

Can I change my display name on my phone?

The Gmail app on Android and iPhone doesn't have a settings option to change your display name. You need to use the Gmail website on a computer or mobile browser. Open gmail.com in your phone's browser, follow the steps above, and the change will explore to emails you send from the app afterward.

What if I want to go back to my old display name?

You can change it back anytime using the same process. Go to Settings, click the Accounts and Import tab, click "Edit info" next to your email address, change the name back to what it was, and save. Gmail will send another verification email, which you'll need to confirm.