Change Your Display Name in Google Meet
Your Google Meet display name comes from your Google Account. To change it, you go into your Google Account settings, not into Meet itself. The name you set there shows up automatically the next time you join a meeting—it takes effect when ready, and everyone in the call sees the updated name.
The fastest way is to edit your Google Account profile directly. Open myaccount.google.com in your browser, click "Personal info" on the left side, find "Name," and click the pencil icon to edit it. Type your new first and last name, click "Save," and you're done. The change appears in Meet within seconds.
If you're already in a Google Meet call and want to change your name before others see you, leave the meeting, update your Google Account name using the steps above, and rejoin. Google Meet pulls your name fresh each time you enter a call.
Key Takeaways
- Your Google Meet name is controlled by your Google Account profile, not by a setting inside Meet itself.
- Go to myaccount.google.com, click "Personal info," find "Name," and edit it directly—the change shows in Meet when ready.
- If you're already in a call, you must leave the meeting, change your account name, and rejoin for others to see the new name.
- The name change affects all Google services linked to your account, not just Meet.
- You can use your full legal name, a nickname, or any text you want—Google Account does not restrict what you enter.
Step-by-Step: Changing Your Name Before a Meeting
If you know you're joining a meeting soon and want to make sure your name is correct, do this before you click the Meet link. Open a new browser tab and go to myaccount.google.com. You'll land on your account dashboard.
On the left side, you'll see a menu. Click "Personal info". The page will show your current profile information. Look for the "Name" section near the top. Click the pencil icon next to your name to edit it. A text box will open showing your first and last name separately. Change whichever part you need to change, then click "Save". The page will refresh, and your new name is now live.
Go back to your Google Meet link and join the call. Your new name will appear in the meeting. Other people will see it in the participant list and in the video tile if your camera is on.
Changing Your Name While You're Already in a Meeting
If you're already in a Google Meet call and realize your name is wrong, you have two options: leave and rejoin, or stay and ask the host to note your correct name in the chat.
To leave and rejoin with the correct name, click the red phone icon or "Leave call" button to exit the meeting. Then follow the steps above to update your Google Account name at myaccount.google.com. Once you've saved the change, rejoin the meeting using the same link. You'll now appear with your new name.
If leaving the meeting would be awkward or disruptive, type your correct name in the chat and let people know that's what you go by. This is a quick workaround, though your display name in the participant list will still show the old one until you rejoin.
What Happens When You Change Your Name
When you change your name in your Google Account, the change ripples across all Google services you use—Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Drive, YouTube, and Google Meet all pull from the same profile. If you change your name to "Alex Rodriguez" in your Google Account, that's what appears everywhere.
The change takes effect when ready. You don't need to restart your browser, close Google Meet, or do anything else. The next time you join a call, your new name is there. People already in the meeting won't see the change unless they refresh their participant list or you leave and rejoin.
If you change your name back and forth frequently—for example, using a nickname in some contexts and your legal name in others—you'll need to update your Google Account each time. There's no way to set different names for different apps or meetings.
Using a Nickname or Shortened Name
Google Account does not require you to use your legal name. You can enter a nickname, a shortened version of your name, or any text you want in the "Name" field. Some people use "Alex" instead of "Alexander," or "Sam" instead of "Samuel." Others use a professional name or a name they go by socially.
Type whatever name you want into the first and last name boxes at myaccount.google.com. Google will accept it. This name will show in Google Meet and everywhere else your profile appears. If you want to change it later, just go back and edit it again.
Keep in mind that if you use Google Meet for work, your employer or organization might have policies about what names should appear in calls. Check with your IT department or manager if you're unsure whether a nickname is appropriate for your workplace.
Troubleshooting: Your New Name Isn't Showing Up
If you changed your Google Account name but it's still showing the old name in Google Meet, try these steps. First, make sure you actually clicked "Save" after editing your name—if you just closed the tab, the change didn't go through. Go back to myaccount.google.com and check what name is currently saved there.
If the name is correct in your Google Account but wrong in Meet, leave the call and rejoin. Google Meet loads your name fresh each time you enter a meeting. If you're still in the same call, the old name may be cached on your device. Closing and reopening the Meet tab, or refreshing the page, sometimes fixes this.
If you're on a work or school account, your organization might control your display name through their admin settings. In that case, you won't be able to change it yourself—you'll need to contact your IT department or administrator. You can tell if this is the case by going to myaccount.google.com and checking whether the "Name" field is grayed out or locked.
Changing Your Name on Mobile Devices
You can change your Google Account name on a phone or tablet the same way you do on a computer. Open a web browser (Chrome, Safari, or whatever you use), go to myaccount.google.com, and follow the same steps: click "Personal info," find "Name," click the pencil icon, edit your name, and click "Save."
The Google Meet app on your phone will pull your updated name the next time you join a call. You don't need to update anything inside the Meet app itself—it always uses whatever name is in your Google Account.
If you're using a shared device or a family member's phone, make sure you're signed into your own Google Account before you make changes. Changing the name on someone else's account will affect their meetings, not yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I have different names in different Google Meet calls?
No. Your Google Meet name comes from your Google Account profile, and that profile is the same across all your meetings. If you want to use different names in different contexts, you would need to create separate Google Accounts. Most people use one account and one name for all their meetings.
Will changing my name affect my Gmail address?
No. Your Gmail address (the part before @gmail.com) stays the same. Your display name is separate from your email address. You can change your display name as many times as you want without affecting your email or anyone's ability to reach you.
How long does it take for my new name to show up in Google Meet?
The change is when ready in your Google Account. The next time you join a Google Meet call, your new name will appear. If you're already in a call, you need to leave and rejoin for others to see the updated name.
What if I don't want to show my real name in meetings?
You can use any name you want in your Google Account—a nickname, initials, a professional name, or anything else. Type it into the "Name" field at myaccount.google.com and save it. That name will show in all your Google Meet calls.
Can my workplace force me to use a specific name in Google Meet?
If you're using a work or school Google Account, your organization's administrator may have locked your display name so you can't change it. If the "Name" field at myaccount.google.com is grayed out, contact your IT department or manager. Personal Google Accounts have no restrictions on what name you use.