How to Edit Your Name in Gmail

Changing the name that appears on your outgoing Gmail messages is one of those small tweaks that makes a surprisingly big difference — especially if your account still shows an old nickname, a maiden name, or a default that was set up years ago. The good news is Gmail gives you direct control over this. The less obvious part is understanding which name you're actually changing, because there are a few layers involved.

What "Your Name" Actually Means in Gmail

When someone receives an email from you, they see two things in the "From" field: your display name and your email address. The display name is the part you can edit freely — it's what shows up in inboxes before anyone even opens your message.

This is separate from your Google Account name, which appears across Google products like Google Meet, Google Docs, and your profile photo. Editing one doesn't automatically update the other, which trips people up more often than you'd expect.

There's also a third layer: if you've added multiple sending addresses to Gmail (for example, a work alias or a secondary email you send from), each one can carry its own display name.

How to Edit Your Display Name in Gmail (Desktop)

The display name lives in Gmail's Send mail as settings. Here's where to find it:

1. Open Gmail in a browser and click the gear icon in the top-right corner
2. Select See all settings
3. Go to the Accounts and Import tab
4. Look for the Send mail as section
5. Next to your email address, click Edit info
6. Update the name in the text field
7. Click Save Changes

The change takes effect immediately on outgoing messages. You don't need to verify anything or wait for a confirmation email — it's a straightforward update.

How to Edit Your Name on Mobile (Gmail App)

The Gmail mobile app — on both Android and iOS — doesn't let you change your display name directly within the app. This is a common source of frustration. If you open Gmail's settings on your phone, you'll find account options, but the Send mail as settings aren't surfaced there.

Your options on mobile:

• Open a browser on your phone, go to Gmail.com, switch to desktop site mode, and follow the same desktop steps above
• Or simply wait until you're at a desktop or laptop

This isn't a technical limitation unique to one OS — it applies across both Android and iOS versions of the Gmail app.

Editing Your Google Account Name (Different From Your Gmail Display Name)

If you want to update the name that appears across all Google services — not just Gmail — you need to edit your Google Account profile name. This is a separate setting from the Gmail display name.

To do this:

1. Go to myaccount.google.com
2. Click on Personal info
3. Under the Basic info section, click on your name
4. Edit your first and/or last name
5. Click Done (or Save)

⚠️ Note that Google may prompt you with a note about how frequently you can change your account name — there are occasional limits on how many times this can be updated within a short period.

Also worth knowing: updating your Google Account name does not automatically update the display name in Gmail's Send mail as field. These two can exist independently of each other, showing different names if you've set them up at different times.

What About Multiple Sending Addresses?

If your Gmail account is configured to send mail from additional addresses — such as a custom domain email or a work address routed through Gmail — each of those has its own editable display name.

In the same Accounts and Import > Send mail as section, you'll see each address listed separately. You can edit the display name for each one individually. This means your personal address and your work alias can show different names to recipients, even though they all pass through the same Gmail account.

What Recipients Actually See

Once you update your display name, every new email you send will show the updated name. Emails you've already sent won't change retroactively — recipients' inboxes will still show whatever name was in place when those messages were delivered.

If your name still appears incorrect in someone's contact list, that's because their email client has already saved your name locally. That's on their end, not yours — and it typically updates over time as they receive new messages from you.

Why the Change Matters

A correctly set display name affects how your emails land in professional and personal contexts. Many email clients display the name more prominently than the address itself, especially on mobile — so a generic default or outdated name can look unprofessional or confusing to recipients.

The right setup depends on what you're trying to achieve: whether you're managing a single personal account, a professional identity, or multiple aliases across different contexts. How you want your name to appear — and to whom — shapes which of these settings you'll actually need to touch. 🔍