Quite often, we see a different name while hovering over our name in our Gmail inbox, or our recipients may see a different senders name for us that is not easily traceable. It may happen for various reasons such as:
- The name on the Google account.
- The name entered in Gmail's "Send mail as:" option.
- The name your own email address is listed as under Contacts.
- The name entered under Accounts Settings in an email client or non-Gmail mobile app used by you.
This blog goes through all the scenarios mentioned above and displays how it impacts the name on the sent messages in the recipient's inbox and where to check in case you are troubled by this issue.
The name on the Google account.
The name on your Google account can be changed from either of the following URLs:
When you click on the first link, you will be taken to the page as shown in the following screenshot after a password verification.
In that page, the boxes will be pre-filled with your existing name details. Simply overwrite them and click on the blue Save button.
Similarly, clicking on the second link will take you to the page where you shall be presented with additional details for your account beyond just the first and last names for your account.
In the Google Account profile name page, click on the "Pencil (Edit)" icon to set your first and last name and a nickname.
To set a display name for your account, click on the ">" icon in the Display Name As section then select the Display name and click on the blue Save button.
The things to note here is:
- If you set a "Display Name" including your nickname, it will show up in both your Google Account home and Google Account profile page, but can only be accessed and edited from the Google Account profile name page.
- Also, please be sure to look at Google's name change policy - mentioned here - Change your Google Account name & other info for other relevant information.
The name entered in Gmail's "Send mail as:" option.
This option is used when the sender wants to use a different name to what's there in their Google Account. The way to access this page is by clicking on the "Gear (Settings)" icon in the Gmail page and then clicking on the "Settings" option from the drop-down menu, and finally, clicking to select the Accounts and Import tab (shown as 1).
In there, locate the "Send mail as:" section, locate your email address and click on the "Edit info" link you see to the right of that email address (shown as 2). You will then see a pop-up window to enter the name you want on the outgoing emails from that Google account plus the option to set a different "Reply-to address" which is beyond the topic for this blog. When you have entered the name, click on the Save Changes button (shown as 3).
The name your own email address is listed as under Contacts.
For various reasons, people may choose to list their own email addresses under a different name under Google Contacts - https://contacts.google.com/. While that name will not substitute the name on the outgoing emails, it may replace the name that is displayed in the hovercard in your (sender's) Gmail inbox. For details, refer to the screenshots below:
Once that entry is removed from Google Contacts, the hovercard displays the name on the Google Account.
The name entered under Accounts Settings in an email client or non-Gmail mobile app used by you.
If someone is accustomed to using an email client like Outlook, Thunderbird, Mail for Mac, Apple Mail etc. or non-Gmail mobile apps like the iOS Mail app or any third-party Android/iOS email apps, the name set in the Accounts section of those email clients or mobile apps is shown on the outgoing messages from those email clients or mobile apps.
A similar screenshot from the iOS Mail app:
and Finally, how everything shows up in the recipient's inbox:
In conclusion, it is important to mention that:
- How the contact is saved in the recipient's Google Contact has no bearing on the name displayed in their inbox as the displayed information is from the Google profile for that Google account or from that of an alternate address associated with that Google account.
- The Hovercard may display a different name based on how the contact is entered in the recipient's Google Contacts.
- The name saved for that account in the recipient's Google Contact, if different, is only ever displayed to the sender when the original recipient addresses an email to the original sender and enters the contact detail from the Google Contacts without editing anything.
holly molly tnx a bunch :)))))
ReplyDeleteThank you so much!!! I have been trying to fix my issue for months!
ReplyDeleteI am sorry but I am still unable to know on how to fix my acc. I have tried Options 1 and 2 for they have instructions but I don't know how to change Options 3 and 4. Is there a link that could show step by step on how to fix that? Thank you very much
ReplyDeleteOption 3 is only for cases where you see a different name in the pop-up contact hovercard on your account and done by:
Delete1. visiting the Google Contacts page - https://contacts.google.com/
2. searching for the contact using the email address
3. editing the contact details
Option 4 is only when you use any third-party (non-Google) mobile apps or email clients to send out emails from your Google account and the name is wrong only when emails are sent out through that mobile app or email client but not when sent from the Gmail web UI.
You would need to keep these basic points in mind while resolving in mind. Maybe I can add a separate section to this blog.
Tysm
ReplyDeleteugghh, so THANKYOU i finally changed my display name after 3 years of being blank about it. But the display name hasn't changed for my friends. I don't wanna to say all of them individually to go change my name in their contacts coz... that's a little embarrassing nskjsnj so can you help a bit for that?
ReplyDeleteFirstly, apologies for the late response. I was unwell with shoulder issues.
DeleteIt's important to know how exactly does your name show up to your recipients.
Commonly, the name used in either your Google Accounts profile or your Gmail "sent mail as:" option are used in outgoing messages. So, if the name is displayed differently on the hovercard (as shown in the penultimate screenshot above) than what is shown in the inbox panel, then it is due to how the contact is saved in their address book. Since there is no way for you to amend entries in someone else's address book, you would need them to do it.
Hello, i know this is an old post but i still hope this question finds you and that you would be able to answer it because its been bothering me for a while. I changed my display name a while ago and the new name pops up when i look at my email replies on my phone, but on computer i still see my old display name when i look at my replies. On computer my new display name is visible to me, it just doesnt show up in actual emails. Even to new people i know i havent emailed before ive changed it. If you have any solutions for me they would be much appreciated, ive tried everything.
DeleteI'll need some additional info. As I'm travelling, with limited internet access, please allow me a couple of days to return and respond back.
DeleteThank you. I've been working on fixing this for years. I had done a temporary change in the contact list, and was able to fix it finally. Thank you thank you.
ReplyDeleteHappy to help. :)
DeleteThis was extremely helpful and resolved all my issues flat out after I spent so much time unsuccessfully changing things with other solutions. You're the best!
ReplyDeleteYou're most welcome. Glad this blog helped resolve your issue.
Deleteda real mvp
ReplyDeleteAfter long time of searching to resolve my issue, here I found the solution for it . Thank you very much somnath for this great information.
ReplyDeleteGlad this blog helped resolve your issue. :)
Deletethank you soooooooooo much!!! this has been bugging me for 5 years!!!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much. :)
DeleteAs the Google Accounts UI underwent a recent change, I have updated the blog with the relevant screenshots, all in the "The name on the Google account." section.
ReplyDeleteYes!! Thank you soooo much!! Saved me the embarrassment for yeaaaars.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. :)
DeleteBLESS YOU!! seriously thank you. #3 (contacts) was it the whole time and I truly would never have figured it out.
ReplyDeleteI'm happy you found the information useful. :)
DeleteI have tried all of these methods, and my last name is set back to my maiden name, as it should be, in every single one of these spots, yet when I send myself email to/from my work email address, it still shows up as my old married name. I went back to my maiden name in 2011 and changed it everywhere then, and multiple times since, and it still shows up as my married name on emails to/from other accounts. So frustrating.
ReplyDeleteI'd require a few additional details:
Delete1. Do you usually access your Gmail account and send out emails through a browser, email client or a mobile device (please specify the email app you use)?
2. Can you please update the name on your account to something slightly different such as First Name, Middle Initial, Last Name to see if that shows up in your sent emails?
Thank you so much! I've been struggling with this name change for so long and one of these solutions worked for me. It was a random setting that needed to be changed. So helpful!
ReplyDeleteGlad this blog helped resolve your issue. :)
Deletethe last one on the contact name change worked for me too! thanks sooooo much! been trying to do this for such a long time. Blessings to you for helping us.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure. :)
DeleteIt still isn’t working for me! I’ve changed my name in iOS settings and on the Mail app (as well as on actual gmail) and it still comes up as the same !!! What do I do :(((
ReplyDeletePlease include details. Updating the name under iOS Settings will only change the name on messages you send out using the iOS Mail app. Name changes in your Google Account profile/personal info page can be overridden by an entry in the Gmail's "Send mail as" option. Wrong name in the hovercard are typically present in your Google Contacts.
DeleteYou would be better off posting about this in the official Gmail Help Community - https://support.google.com/mail/thread/new?hl=en. You can reference my name, and choose to include a screenshot of where you see the wrong mention of your name after redacting for privacy.
im getting the error This setting can’t be changed for your accounti changed the display name and it still havent changed :(
Deletei got this error This setting can’t be changed for your account
DeleteCan you confirm this is not for a Brand Account, a Google for Families Child account or a Google Workspace account?
DeleteThank you very much!!,I have been facing this issue for so long.Now the second solution worked for me :)
ReplyDeleteThank you for caring to post this update. Much appreciated and apologies for the late reply. :)
DeleteThanks a ton!!
ReplyDeleteI have been facing this problem for almost an year.but Today my problem is solved.The second solution worked for me. :)
Thank you soooo much!
ReplyDeleteGoogle only lists out option 1 and 2 and they didn't work for me. Thanks for sharing option 3 and 4! Only took me a minute trying option 3 and it sorted out the problem bothering me for a long time!
Thank you so much for posting this update. I am happy the blog helped resolve your issue. :)
DeleteThank you for your details sharing but I still cant solve this issue, I think
ReplyDeleteit's option 4 but I dont know how to check & change Google contact on Outlook & Android's setting, even on Google Contact screen (I cant see my name on this). Could you show me more details? Thank you very much.
With regards to Outlook for Mac, please refer here: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/basic-imap-account-settings-for-outlook-for-mac-cde6ae75-2f3e-4ed4-a97c-b86e8e8e22f2.
DeleteWith regards to Android, if you are using any third party email app, you need to mention it.
Thank you for your quick help, I use Outlook on Windows & check on Microsoft support but it shows how to change the displayed name of Outlook mail, not Gmail name. On Android, I don't use third party email app.
DeleteYou show how to check the different name from Google account & Google contact. On Google account, the name is correct as I set up. On Google contact, I can't check my displayed name, please help me on this point.
Thank you so much.
My bad. I posted a link to this blog in one of my responses at the Gmail help community, and assumed you to be that person who mentioned experiencing this issue with his Outlook for Mac.
DeleteApropos "On Google contact, I can't check my displayed name" -Commonly, your own email address will not be mentioned in Google Contacts unless you have entered your own email address as a contact entry.
I think I fixed it done (I add my email in my name already have in my contact, I've been struggle for this issue for so long. Thank you so much :)
DeleteGlad it is resolved. Thanks for the update. :)
DeleteThank you, finally after trying to fix my issue for years. It's fixed
ReplyDeleteYou are most welcome. :)
DeleteHi there, when sending emails from my iphone it uses the incorrect name. But works fine when sending emails from my computer.
ReplyDeleteIf you happen to use the iOS mail app, try the suggestions under #4 and let me know.
Delete