Do you cringe every time you send an email from your Gmail account made back in middle school? Or perhaps you‘ve simply decided it‘s time for a change to reflect who you are today.
Whatever the reason, you likely created your first Gmail years ago – and now you want something new.
The good news? You can easily change the name displayed on your Gmail account and throughout Google‘s suite of products.
In this extensive guide, we‘ll cover:
- Exactly how to change your Gmail display name or full Google Account name
- Step-by-step instructions optimized for both desktop and mobile
- Expert troubleshooting advice for any issues you encounter
- Answers to frequently asked questions about changing your name
As an long-time Google power user myself, I‘ll walk you through everything you need to know – from background basics to nitty gritty details.
Let‘s get started!
Why You Might Want to Update Your Name
First, let‘s briefly cover why you might want to change the name shown on your Gmail in the first place.
Here are some of the most common reasons:
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Legal name change – If you changed your name due to marriage, divorce, or other reasons, updating this info across accounts is essential.
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Professional rebrand – Those with public personas often modify their names and brands as their careers evolve over the years.
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Personal preference – You may have created your account as a child and now simply want to use a preferred name.
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Privacy – Some opt to display only a first name and last initial to better protect their privacy online.
No matter what‘s motivating your own name change, let‘s look at exactly how to do it.
Gmail Display Name vs Google Account Name
Before we dive in, it‘s important to understand the key difference between your Gmail display name and full Google Account name stored on your profile.
Your Gmail display name appears specifically on emails you send through Gmail as well as next to your profile picture within Gmail.
Your Google Account name is shown across all Google products and services tied to your account. This encompasses not just Gmail but also YouTube, Google Drive, Google Chat, Google Play store, and many more.
So while your core Gmail address stays the same, you can change either the display name just for Gmail purposes or the account-wide name used everywhere.
Generally, I recommend changing your full Google Account name if you want a consistent identity across all Google platforms. But you can also specifically update only your Gmail display name if preferred.
Now let‘s walk through both options.
How to Change Gmail Display Name
Follow these simple steps to change the name appearing next to messages sent from your Gmail address:
- Navigate to Gmail on your desktop at gmail.com (you cannot change your display name in the mobile app)
- Click on your circular profile picture in the top right corner
- Select See all settings
- Click on the Accounts and Import tab
- Under Send mail as, click edit info next to your current display name
- Enter your new desired name in the pop-up form
- Click Save changes at the bottom
And voila! Your Gmail display name is now updated.
Here‘s a visual guide:
While simple, this specific change only applies to your Gmail messaging name. To change it across all Google services, keep reading.
How to Change Google Account Name
Making an account-wide change to your Google name will update all products tied to your account, including:
- Gmail
- YouTube
- Google Drive
- Google Chat
- Google Play
- And more
Follow these steps:
- Go to gmail.com and sign in or navigate to myaccount.google.com
- Click your profile picture and select Manage your Google Account
- On the sidebar, click Personal info
- Under Basic info, click on your name
- Select the edit pencil icon to make changes
- Enter your new details in the first and last name fields
- Click Save in the bottom right corner
Once saved, you should now see your updated name across all Google services!
When Changes Can Take Time
After following the steps outlined above to change your Gmail or Google Account name, the updates may take some time to fully propagate everywhere.
While the changes are saved instantly, background processes gradually refresh this updated information across all of Google‘s systems.
So don‘t panic if you still see your old name in some places temporarily. Typically within 24 hours everything will be fully refreshed.
If you still see your old name after a day, try the troubleshooting tips next.
Troubleshooting Persistent Name Change Issues
In most cases, simply allowing a day for changes to take effect will resolve any name discrepancies.
But if your old name persists longer across Gmail or other Google services, here are troubleshooting steps to try:
| Issue | Try These Fixes |
|---|---|
| Old name still seen in Gmail | – Sign out then back into Gmail – Clear cache/cookies in your browser – Use incognito/private browser mode |
| Old name still seen elsewhere | – Close and reopen browser/apps – Clear cache and data on apps – Check account name via myaccount.google.com |
As per Google‘s own troubleshooting guide, allowing up to 24 hours for changes to fully apply across all regions and services is recommended.
If no errors occurred during your name change, rest assured the updates were saved correctly and it‘s just a matter of allowing their systems time to catch up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let‘s round things out by answering some commonly asked questions around modifying your Gmail and Google Account names:
Can I change my Gmail address?
No, the underlying gmail.com email address itself cannot be altered or forwarded. Only the display name can be modified.
How often can I update my name?
You are free to change your name as often as needed, though changing it excessively in a very short timespan can trigger spam prevention limits temporarily.
Why can‘t I change my name?
Typically this occurs if you have a Gmail account managed through work or school. Admins often disable the ability to change names on these managed accounts.
Can I revert back to my old name if needed?
Yes, absolutely! You can toggle between old and new names as much as you want. Just repeat the steps above.
And there you have it – from a high level overview to specific troubleshooting tips, changing your Gmail or Google Account name is a breeze.
With this guide‘s step-by-step walkthroughs, you can update your name properly across Google‘s entire ecosystem. Enjoy your new identity!
