How to Change Your Gmail Name (With Photos)

If you’ve had your Gmail address for years, you may not want to create a new one. So what do you do if you need to change the name associated with your Gmail address? Maybe you legally changed your name or you want to go by a nickname instead.

Although you cannot change your username or edit your Gmail address, you can change the name on your Gmail account. Check out our guide to learn how to change your Gmail name in just a few easy steps. Let’s get started!

Step 1: Open Gmail in Your Browser

You are unable to change your name in the Gmail app, so you will need to open Gmail in your web browser. Begin by typing “mail.google.com” in the address bar. The example uses Google Chrome, but any browser will work.

If you want to check the information currently displayed before making any changes, hover the cursor over your profile photo in the upper-right corner.

Step 2: Open Settings

Second, click on the gear icon near your photo in the top right-hand corner of your screen. This will open the Quick settings tab.

Step 3: Click See All Settings

Now, click on “See all settings” at the top of the Quick settings tab. This will open the next menu.

Step 4: Click the Accounts and Import Tab

When the Settings menu opens, it will display the General tab by default. You will need to navigate three tabs to the right to click on Accounts and Import.

Step 5: Scroll Down to Send Mail As

Next, scroll down to “Send mail as.” You will see your current name and email address listed here.

Step 6: Click Edit Info

Click on “edit info” to make changes. Navigate to the far right-hand side of the window. You will see “edit info” four lines down under your chat notifications status.

Step 7: Enter Your New Name

Once you’ve clicked “edit info,” a new window will open in your Gmail settings. Enter your new name in the box under your current name. The blue circle indicator will automatically select your new name.

Step 8: Save Your Changes

Finally, click on Save Changes at the bottom of the pop-up window. That’s it! Your new name will be displayed when you send a Gmail message.

You should likewise see your new name listed in the “Send mail as” section in your Gmail settings as shown in Step 5. Additionally, you can hover the cursor over your profile photo in the upper-right corner to ensure your new information is showing.

Change Your Gmail Name by Changing Your Google Account Name

There is another way to change your Gmail name. If you would like to change your name for all of your Google services, you can change your Google account name. This will change your name on services such as Gmail, Google Chat, and Google Play. Let’s begin!

Step 1: Open Gmail in your Browser

Open Gmail in your browser. Type in the address “mail.google.com” as shown in Step 1 above. If you prefer, you can type “myaccount.google.com” in the address bar to log in directly to your Google account. Skip Steps 2 and 3 if you’re logging in to your Google account instead of Gmail.

Step 2: Click on Your Profile Photo

Next, click on your Gmail profile photo on the top right-hand side of the window. If you are using Google Chrome, you can also click on your Google profile photo in the Chrome window.

Step 3: Manage Your Google Account

Now, click on Manage Your Google Account. You will see this same option whether you’ve clicked on your Gmail profile photo or your Google Chrome profile photo.

Step 4: Click on Personal Info

From your Google Account landing page, select Personal info from the list of settings on the left-hand side of your screen.

Step 5: Click Name on Basic Info Section

Go to the Basic info section near the top of the page. Click anywhere in the Name field.

Step 6: Click the Pencil Icon to Edit Your Name

Now you can click on the pencil icon in the Name card to make your changes.

Step 7: Delete Old Name and Enter New Name

Next, you will need to delete your old name from the first name and last name fields. Then, enter your new name in the empty fields.

Step 8: Save Changes

Once you have entered the name you want, click on the Save button in the bottom right-hand corner. Now, your name will be displayed on all of your Google services, including — but not limited — to Gmail.

Why Is my Old Name Still Showing?

If your old name is still showing and you did not receive an error, you may need to close your browser or Gmail app, then re-open them to see if the changes have taken effect. You might also need to clear the cache and cookies on your browser. Note that if you’ve elected to clear your cookies, you may be signed out of some websites.

Why Can’t I Change My Gmail Name?

You may receive an error that says, “this setting can’t be changed for your account.” Although you can change your name as often as you like, this error can occur if you try to change your name too many times in rapid succession.

You may also receive an error if you have a managed account through a school or business and the admin does not allow name changes. Hopefully, this guide has helped you learn how to change your Gmail name.

You now have two different ways to change your Gmail name without the inconvenience of creating a new Gmail address. If you do find yourself wanting to make another change, you can edit your Gmail name at any time using the steps outlined above.