Change Your Display Name in Gmail Settings

Your Gmail display name is what appears in the "From" line when you send an email — it is separate from your Gmail address itself. You change it in Gmail Settings under the "Accounts and Import" tab, not in your Google Account settings. The process takes about two minutes and does not affect your actual email address or password.

Open Gmail in your web browser and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select "See all settings," then click the "Accounts and Import" tab. Under "Send mail as," you will see your current email address. Click "Edit info" next to it, and a box will open where you can type your new display name. Type the name you want to appear when you send emails, then click "Save changes" at the bottom of that box.

The new name takes effect when ready on emails you send going forward. Emails you sent before the change will still show your old name, because Gmail does not rewrite the past. Recipients will see your new display name on new messages, but the change does not affect how they reply to you or how emails reach your inbox.

Key Takeaways

  • Your Gmail display name is what shows in the "From" line and is changed in Settings under "Accounts and Import," not in your Google Account.
  • The change takes effect only on emails you send after making it; old emails keep their original sender name.
  • Your actual Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com) cannot be changed through this process — that requires a different procedure.
  • You can set up multiple display names if you use Gmail to send from different addresses or roles.
  • The change is visible to everyone you email, so use a name you are comfortable with professionally and personally.

Understand the Difference Between Display Name and Email Address

Many people confuse the display name with the email address itself. Your email address is the full string you use to log in and that others use to reach you — for example, jane.smith.1987@gmail.com. Your display name is just the human-readable part that appears next to that address when you send mail. You can change the display name as many times as you want, but changing the actual email address is a separate, more involved process that requires creating a new account or using Google Account settings.

If you want to change your actual Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com), you will need to create a new Gmail account with the address you want, then transfer your emails and contacts to it. That is beyond the scope of a straightforward display name change. For most people who just want their emails to show a different name, changing the display name in Gmail Settings is what you need.

Set Up Multiple Display Names for Different Purposes

Gmail lets you add multiple "Send mail as" addresses, each with its own display name. This is useful if you use one Gmail account for both work and personal email, or if you manage email for a business or organization. Each address can have a different display name, and you choose which one to send from each time you compose a message.

To add another address, go to Settings > Accounts and Import, and click "Add another email address you own" under "Send mail as." Gmail will ask you to verify that you own the new address — you will receive a confirmation email at that address with a link to click. Once verified, that address appears in your "Send mail as" list with its own display name field. You can then choose which address and name to send from when you compose each email.

Verify Your Change Took Effect

After you save your new display name, send yourself a test email to confirm the change worked. Compose a new message, type your own email address in the "To" field, and send it. When the email arrives in your inbox, open it and look at the "From" line — you should see your new display name there. If you still see the old name, wait a few minutes and send another test email, as the change sometimes takes a moment to sync across Gmail's servers.

If the old name still appears after several minutes, go back to Settings > Accounts and Import and double-check that you clicked "Save changes" after typing the new name. A common mistake is typing the new name, then closing the box without saving. If you see a "Save changes" button still visible, click it before leaving the page.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

The most frequent error is forgetting to click "Save changes" after typing the new display name. The text box will close, but your change will not actually save unless you click that button. Another mistake is trying to change your display name in Google Account settings instead of Gmail Settings — those are two different places, and the Google Account page does not control what appears in the "From" line of your emails.

Do not confuse changing your display name with changing your email address. If you type something that looks like an email address in the display name field (for example, "work@mycompany.com"), it will appear exactly as you typed it in the "From" line, but it will not change your actual Gmail address. Your real email address stays the same, and people still reach you at your original Gmail address.

Some people worry that changing their display name will affect their account security or cause them to lose access to their email. It will not. Changing your display name is purely cosmetic — it does not change your password, your recovery email, your two-factor authentication, or anything else that controls access to your account.

What Happens to Your Old Display Name

Once you change your display name, the old name stops appearing on new emails you send. However, emails you sent before the change will always show the old name, because Gmail does not alter the history of messages you have already sent. If someone looks back at an old email thread with you, they will see the name you had when you sent that message.

Your contacts and the people you email regularly will see your new name on future messages. There is no notification sent to them about the change — they will straightforward notice the new name the next time they receive an email from you. If you want to let people know about the change, you can mention it in an email or let them know separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Your Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com) cannot be changed directly. If you need a different Gmail address, you must create a new Gmail account with the address you want. You can then forward emails from your old address to the new one, or set up the old address as a "Send mail as" option in your new account so people can still reach you at the old address.

Will changing my display name affect my contacts or calendar?

No. Your display name change only affects how your name appears in the "From" line of emails you send. Your contacts list, calendar, Google Drive, and all other Google services remain unchanged. People in your contacts will still have your email address saved the same way.

Can I use special characters or emojis in my display name?

Gmail allows most characters in display names, including numbers, spaces, and punctuation. However, some email clients or older systems may not display special characters correctly. For the widest compatibility, stick to letters, numbers, spaces, and common punctuation like hyphens and apostrophes.

How long does it take for my new display name to show up?

The change takes effect when ready on emails you send after saving it. You should see the new name in the "From" line of your next sent email. If you do not see it right away, refresh your browser or log out and back in to Gmail.

Can I have different display names for different recipients?

No, your display name is the same for everyone you email. However, if you set up multiple "Send mail as" addresses, each can have its own display name, and you can choose which address to send from when you compose each message. This lets you send from a work address with a professional name and a personal address with a casual name.