Change your display name directly in Yahoo Account settings
Your Yahoo Mail display name is what appears in the "From" field when you send an email. To change it, sign into your Yahoo Mail account, click the account icon in the top right corner, and select Account info. From there, go to Personal info, find the Name field, and edit it to what you want recipients to see. Click Save when you're done.
The change takes effect when ready on new emails you send. Old emails you've already sent will still show your previous name, but anyone receiving mail from you going forward will see the new display name. This process works the same whether you're using Yahoo Mail on a computer or the mobile app.
If you use Yahoo Mail through a third-party email client like Outlook or Apple Mail, you may need to update your name there as well, since those programs sometimes store display name settings separately from your Yahoo account.
Key Takeaways
- Your display name is what shows in the "From" line of emails you send, and you change it in Yahoo Account info under Personal info.
- The new name appears on emails sent after you save the change, but does not change the name on emails you've already sent.
- If you use Yahoo Mail in Outlook, Apple Mail, or another email program, check that program's settings to update the display name there too.
- Your Yahoo account username (the part before @yahoo.com) stays the same — only the display name changes.
- You can change your display name as many times as you want with no restrictions.
Where to find the name field in Yahoo Account settings
Log into your Yahoo Mail account at mail.yahoo.com. In the top right corner, you'll see a circular icon with your initial or profile picture. Click it to open a dropdown menu. Select Account info from the list.
Once you're in Account info, look for the Personal info tab on the left side of the page. Click it. You'll see several fields including First name and Last name. Edit these fields to match the name you want to display. Some accounts show a single Name field instead — edit that one field with your full name as you want it to appear.
After you've made your changes, scroll down and click the Save button. Yahoo will confirm the change was saved. You can now close this window and return to your inbox.
What happens to your email address when you change your display name
Your email address itself does not change. If your account is sarah.okafor@yahoo.com, it will remain sarah.okafor@yahoo.com no matter what display name you set. The display name is only what appears next to your email address when you send a message — it's the human-readable part, not the technical address.
Recipients will see something like "Sarah Johnson <sarah.okafor@yahoo.com>" if you change your display name to Sarah Johnson. They can still reply to your email address the same way they always have. The change is purely cosmetic and affects only how your name looks to people reading your emails.
Updating your display name in email clients like Outlook or Apple Mail
If you've set up your Yahoo Mail account in Outlook, Apple Mail, Gmail, or another email program, those programs may store your display name separately. Changing it in your Yahoo account settings won't automatically update it in these programs.
In Outlook, open the program and go to File > Account Settings > Account Settings again. Find your Yahoo account in the list, click it, and select Change. Look for the Your Name field and update it there. In Apple Mail, go to Mail > Preferences > Accounts, select your Yahoo account, and edit the Full Name field. The exact steps vary by program, so check your email client's help section if you're unsure.
After you update the display name in your email client, test it by sending yourself a test email. Check how your name appears in the "From" line. If it still shows the old name, you may need to restart the email program or re-enter your Yahoo password to sync the change.
Changing your name if you no longer have access to your recovery email
If you've forgotten your Yahoo password or lost access to your recovery email address, you won't be able to sign into Account info to change your display name. In this case, you'll need to recover your account first.
Go to the Yahoo sign-in page and click Can't log in? Follow the steps to verify your identity using a phone number, backup email, or security questions you set up when you created the account. Once you've regained access, you can then change your display name using the steps above.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use special characters or emoji in my display name?
Yahoo allows most letters, numbers, spaces, and common punctuation marks in display names. Emoji and some special characters may not work or may appear differently depending on the email program the recipient uses. Stick to standard letters, numbers, hyphens, and apostrophes if you want your name to display correctly for everyone.
Will changing my display name affect my Yahoo account password or security?
No. Your display name is separate from your account security. Changing it does not reset your password, affect two-factor authentication, or change any security settings. Your account remains just as find as it was before.
How long does it take for the new display name to show up?
The change is when ready. Any email you send after clicking Save will show your new display name. You don't need to wait or restart Yahoo Mail for the change to take effect.
Can I change my display name back to what it was before?
Yes. Go back to Account info > Personal info, edit the name field to your old name, and click Save. You can change your display name as many times as you want with no restrictions or waiting period.
What if my display name still shows the old name after I changed it?
Clear your browser cache and cookies, then sign out of Yahoo Mail completely and sign back in. If you're using an email client like Outlook or Apple Mail, restart that program. If the old name still appears, you may have updated the name in the wrong place — double-check that you edited it in Yahoo Account info, not in a separate email program.