Gmail shows your name, not your email address, to people you contact

When you send an email from Gmail, the recipient sees your display name — the name you set in your account — not your email address. You can change this name at any time without changing your actual Gmail address or password. The change takes effect on new emails you send going forward, though it may take a few hours to show up everywhere Google syncs your account.

This is different from changing your Google Account name, which affects your entire Google profile across YouTube, Google Drive, and other services. If you only want to change how your name appears in Gmail, you can do that separately.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name in Gmail is what recipients see when you email them, and you can change it without affecting your email address.
  • The fastest way is to go to Gmail settings, find the "From" field under the Accounts tab, and click "Edit info" next to your name.
  • Changes to your Gmail display name take effect on new emails when ready, though they may take a few hours to sync across Google services.
  • If you change your name in Google Account settings instead, it changes your name everywhere you use Google, not just in Gmail.
  • You can set up multiple display names and choose which one to use when sending from different email addresses or aliases.

Change your display name in Gmail settings

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 your name.

A window will open with a text field showing your current name. Delete the old name and type in the new one. Click Save Changes at the bottom. The new name will appear on emails you send from that moment forward.

If you have multiple email addresses set up in Gmail (forwarding addresses or aliases), each one can have its own display name. You will see them all listed under "Send mail as," and you can edit each one separately.

The difference between Gmail display name and Google Account name

Gmail has two separate name settings. The display name is what shows in the "From" line when you send email — this is what you just changed in Gmail settings. The Google Account name is your profile name across all Google services, including YouTube, Google Drive, and Google Photos.

If you change your name in Google Account settings (by going to myaccount.google.com and clicking "Personal info"), it changes your name everywhere you use Google. If you only want to change how your name appears in Gmail, use the Gmail settings method above instead.

Some people use their Gmail display name for work and their Google Account name for personal use, or vice versa. You can keep them different without any problem.

How long it takes for the change to show up

Your new display name appears on emails you send when ready after you save the change. However, it may take a few hours for the change to sync across all Google services and for recipients' email clients to refresh and show the new name on old emails you sent before the change.

If someone has already received an email from you with your old name, that email will still show the old name in their inbox — changing your display name does not retroactively update emails that were already sent. Only new emails going forward will show the new name.

Setting up multiple display names

If you send email from more than one address in Gmail, or if you use aliases, you can give each one a different display name. Under "Send mail as" in Gmail settings, you will see all your addresses listed. Click "Edit info" next to whichever address you want to change, and set its name separately from the others.

When you compose a new email, you can choose which address to send from using the dropdown in the "From" field. The display name for that address will be used automatically. This is useful if you have a work email and a personal email, or if you manage email for a business or organization.

Troubleshooting: the change did not save

If you clicked "Save Changes" but your name did not update, first refresh the Gmail page and check the settings again. Sometimes the change takes a minute to register. If it still shows the old name, clear your browser cache and try again.

If you are using a work or school Gmail account managed by an organization, your administrator may have locked the display name so you cannot change it. Contact your IT department or account administrator to ask whether the name field is editable. Personal Gmail accounts do not have this restriction.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my Gmail display name change my email address?

No. Your email address stays the same. Only the name that appears in the "From" line of your emails changes. People still send emails to your address the same way.

Can I use a nickname or business name instead of my real name?

Yes. Gmail does not verify that your display name matches your legal name. You can use any text you want — a nickname, a business name, initials, or anything else.

What if I have a Gmail address through my workplace or school?

Your organization's administrator may have restricted the display name field so you cannot change it yourself. Try the steps above first. If the "Edit info" button is grayed out or missing, contact your IT department or administrator.

Will old emails I sent show the new name?

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

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

Yes. Go back to Gmail settings, click "Edit info" next to your name, type in the old name, and save. You can change your display name as many times as you want.