The two places where your name appears in Gmail

Your name shows up in two separate places in Gmail, and you change them differently. The display name is what people see when you send them an email — it appears in their inbox next to your email address. The Google Account name is what appears at the top of your Gmail sidebar and in your account settings, and it's tied to your entire Google ecosystem (YouTube, Google Drive, Google Photos, and so on).

Most people only need to change the display name. That takes 30 seconds. Changing your Google Account name is rarer and affects everything Google-connected you own, so most people leave it alone.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name (what people see when you email them) is changed in Gmail settings under "Send mail as", and takes effect when ready.
  • Your Google Account name (what appears in your sidebar) is changed in your Google Account settings, not in Gmail itself, and affects all your Google services.
  • You can have multiple display names and switch between them when composing an email if you manage more than one sender identity.
  • Changing your display name does not change your email address itself — only what name appears next to it.
  • If you have a Gmail address you created years ago with a nickname or old name, you do not need to create a new account; you can update the display name anytime.

Change your display name in Gmail settings

Open Gmail in a web browser. Click the gear icon in the top right corner and select "See all settings". Click the "Accounts and Import" tab. Under "Send mail as", you will see your current email address and display name. Click "Edit info" next to it.

A small window will pop up. The "Name" field holds your display name. Delete what's there and type the name you want people to see. You can use your full legal name, a nickname, a business name, or anything else. Click "Save changes". The new name takes effect when ready — the next email you send will show the new name.

If you have multiple email addresses or aliases set up in Gmail, you will see more than one "Send mail as" entry. You can give each one a different display name. When you compose a new email, you can click the "From" field and choose which sender identity to use.

Change your Google Account name

Your Google Account name is separate from your Gmail display name. It's the name that appears in the top left of your Gmail sidebar, in your Google Account settings, and across all Google services you use. To change it, go to myaccount.google.com in a web browser and sign in if you're not already.

Click "Personal info" in the left menu. At the top, you'll see your name. Click on it to edit. Change your first name, last name, or both. Click "Save". This change takes effect across Google — it will update in Gmail, YouTube, Google Drive, and anywhere else your Google Account name appears.

Changing your Google Account name does not change your email address. Your email address stays the same; only the name associated with the account changes.

When you might want to change both

If you created your Gmail account years ago with a nickname or a name you no longer use, you might want to update both. For example, if your account is under "Alex" but you now go by "Alexandra", you could change your Google Account name to Alexandra (which updates everything) and then set your Gmail display name to "Alexandra Chen" or whatever you prefer people to see on emails.

If you run a business and want your business name to appear on emails but your personal name in your account settings, you would change only the Gmail display name, not your Google Account name.

What happens to your old name

When you change your display name, old emails you already sent do not update. If you sent someone an email signed "Alex" and then change your display name to "Alexandra", that old email still shows "Alex" in their inbox. Only new emails going forward will show the new name.

Your email address itself never changes when you update your name. If your address is alex.chen@gmail.com, it stays alex.chen@gmail.com no matter what name you display. People can still reach you at the same address.

If you want to use a completely different email address

If you want to switch to a different email address entirely — not just change the name attached to your current one — you would need to create a new Gmail account. That's a different process. But if you just want the name that appears on your emails to be different, changing the display name is all you need.

You can also add a secondary email address to your Google Account and set it as your primary if you want to move toward a different address gradually. That's done in your Google Account settings under "Email" or "Recovery email", but it's more complex than straightforward changing your display name.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will changing my name affect my email address?

No. Your email address stays exactly the same. Only the name that appears next to your address when you send emails changes. If your address is alex@gmail.com, it will always be alex@gmail.com, regardless of what display name you choose.

Can I have different names for different email addresses?

Yes. If you have set up multiple "Send mail as" addresses in Gmail, each one can have its own display name. When you compose an email, you can choose which sender identity to use, and the corresponding name will appear.

If I change my name, will people I emailed before see the new name?

No. Old emails in their inbox will still show the name you used when you sent them. Only new emails you send after the change will show your new display name.

What's the difference between changing my display name and my Google Account name?

Your display name is what appears on emails you send. Your Google Account name appears in your Gmail sidebar and across all Google services. You usually only need to change the display name. Changing your Google Account name affects everything connected to your Google account.

Can I change my name back if I change my mind?

Yes. You can change your display name or Google Account name as many times as you want. Just follow the same steps and enter a different name. There's no limit on how often you can update it.