How Do I Change My Name On Gmail?

To change your name on Gmail, open Google Account settings, edit the name or Send mail as field, and save your new display name.

Why Your Gmail Name Matters

Your Gmail name shows up every time you send a message, join a Google Meet, or share a file. If it looks wrong, unprofessional, or outdated, it can confuse people or make your emails easier to ignore.

You actually have two places where your name can appear: your Google Account name and your Gmail display name in the Send mail as section. Once you understand the difference, changing the right one becomes simple.

Quick Reference: Ways To Change Your Gmail Name

This table shows the three main ways you can change how your name shows in Gmail.

What You Change	Where You Change It	Who Sees It
Gmail display name	Gmail Settings > Accounts and Import > Send mail as	People who receive your emails
Google Account name	Google Account > Personal info > Name	Across Google services like Gmail, Drive, and Calendar
Reply name for an alias	Gmail Settings > Send mail as > Edit info	People who get emails from that alias

How To Change Your Name On Gmail Step By Step

There are two main routes: change the name that shows on emails from Gmail, or change the main name on your Google Account. You can use one or both, depending on what you want people to see.

Change The Name That Shows On Emails (Desktop)

This method updates the name that appears next to your email address in someone else’s inbox.

Open Gmail In A Browser — Sign in on a computer at mail.google.com, not inside the mobile app.
Go To All Settings — Click the gear icon in the top right, then choose See all settings.
Open The Accounts And Import Tab — At the top of Settings, click Accounts and Import or just Accounts, depending on your layout.
Find The Send Mail As Section — Look for the list of addresses under “Send mail as.”
Click Edit Info Next To Your Address — A small window opens with name options for that address.
Enter Your New Display Name — Choose the option with a text box and type the name you want others to see.
Save Your Changes — Click Save changes, then send a test email to a secondary account to confirm the new name appears.

Google’s own Gmail help article on changing your name walks through the same steps, so your changes match the official method.

Change Your Gmail Name On Android

On Android, you can change the Google Account name that Gmail uses, which updates across Google services on that account.

Open Device Settings — On your Android phone or tablet, open the main Settings app.
Open Google Account Settings — Tap Google, then tap Manage your Google Account.
Go To Personal Info — Swipe across the top tabs and choose Personal info.
Edit Your Name — Under “Basic info,” tap Name, then tap the edit icon.
Enter Your New Name — Update first name and last name fields the way you want them to appear.
Save And Wait For Sync — Tap Done or Save, then give Gmail a little time to pick up the new name.

The same approach appears in the Google Account name and info help page, so it stays consistent even as the app design changes.

Change Your Gmail Name On iPhone Or iPad

On iOS devices, you edit your Google Account name through a web page or through settings inside the Gmail app.

Open The Gmail App — Sign in with the account whose name you want to change.
Open The Menu — Tap the three horizontal lines in the top left, then scroll down and tap Settings.
Select Your Account — Tap the email address you want to update.
Go To Manage Your Google Account — Tap Manage your Google Account to open account settings.
Open Personal Info — Switch to the Personal info tab.
Edit Your Name — Tap Name, change it, and save.

If that menu does not appear, you can visit myaccount.google.com in Safari or Chrome, sign in, and edit your name from the Personal info section there.

Changing Your Main Google Account Name

Your Google Account name is the name tied to everything under that login, including Gmail, Drive, Calendar, and Android backups. Many Gmail users only need to edit this once, such as after marriage, a legal name change, or when a nickname slipped into the original setup.

Go To Your Google Account Page — Visit myaccount.google.com and sign in.
Open The Personal Info Section — In the side menu or across the top, pick Personal info.
Choose Name Under Basic Info — Look for the Name row and click or tap it.
Enter The New Name — Fill in first name and last name fields. You can also add or remove a middle name if that appears.
Save Your Changes — Confirm the change and wait a few minutes for it to sync across services.

Once this is updated, new emails usually start using the new account name within a short time, though older messages keep the name that was active when you sent them.

What You Can And Cannot Change About Your Gmail Identity

Changing your name on Gmail is different from changing your actual email address. The name is the label shown to people. The address is the mailbox underneath it.

You Can Change These

Display Name On Outgoing Mail — Change this in Gmail settings under “Send mail as” for each address or alias.
Google Account Name — Edit this from your Google Account personal info so it matches your legal name or preferred name.
Alias Names — If you send mail from another address or domain through Gmail, each of those can have its own display name.

You Normally Cannot Change This

Original Gmail Address — The part before @gmail.com stays fixed for most users. If you need a new address, you usually create a fresh account and move your data.

Google has started testing a way to change the actual Gmail address on some accounts in a few regions, but that option is still limited and may not show up in your own account settings yet.

Troubleshooting Gmail Name Problems

If your new name does not show up right away, or different people see different names, a few common issues might be in play.

New Name Not Showing In Sent Mail

Check Send Mail As Again — Open Gmail settings, go back to “Send mail as,” and make sure the correct option and name are selected.
Sign Out And Back In — Log out of Gmail in your browser, close the tab, then sign in again to refresh cached details.
Try Another Browser — Send a test message from a different browser or an incognito window to rule out old cached data.

Contacts Still See Your Old Name

Local Address Books — If someone saved you as a contact, their address book can override your new Gmail name in their view.
Mail App Caches — Many apps keep a cache of sender names. Ask the person to remove your contact entry and let their app pull in the new details.
Mixed Accounts — If you forward from one account to another or send mail through an alias, check the display name settings for all of the addresses involved.

Different Name On Mobile And Desktop

Update The Gmail App — Install the latest version of Gmail for Android or iOS so it uses the current account data.
Sync Your Account — On Android, make sure sync is on for Gmail in the system settings, then trigger a manual sync.
Check The Account Used — On phones with multiple Google accounts, confirm that you are editing and sending from the same one on every device.

Tips For Choosing A Gmail Name That Works

Your Gmail name shows up on résumés, client pitches, newsletters, and quick notes to friends. A little thought here saves awkward explanations later.

Match Your Real Name For Work — For job applications or client messages, use your real first and last name so recruiters and teams can find you easily.
Avoid Heavy Slang — Fun nicknames are fine for side projects, but they can look odd in serious threads.
Use One Format Everywhere — Try to keep the same order and spacing across email, LinkedIn, and other services so people recognise you at a glance.
Watch For Accents And Symbols — Special characters can display strangely in some older mail apps, so test your name with a friend if you use them.
Keep It Short And Clear — Long titles or extra words clutter the sender line and may get cut off on phones.

Once you pick a name that matches how you want to appear, use the same pattern for all the addresses and aliases you send mail from. That way your Gmail name feels consistent wherever people see it.