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How to change your Gmail name
If you’ve had your Gmail address for a long time, perhaps as long ago as 2004 when the first invitations went out, you may need to update your name on it eventually. Maybe you’re getting married and changing your surname, or perhaps you’re about to inherit the crown of some obscure European kingdom, requiring you to add “Princess” to your name. Whatever your reason, the question becomes how to change your Gmail name. Is it even possible?
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QUICK ANSWER
You can't change the actual email address. That part is set in stone. However, you can change the name that appears when an email from you arrives in someone's inbox. To do this, access the Gmail account on a desktop, go to Accounts in Settings, and click edit info under Send mail as. Under Name, select an alternative text and hit Save changes.
How to change your Gmail name
Unfortunately, for those with an embarrassing Gmail address that you desperately want rid of, there’s no way to change the username of the address. If the username mortifies you that much (backstreetboys4ever@gmail.com), then you need to set up a new Gmail address and begin transferring all your emails over. But if it’s a matter of a simple name change in the From: section of an email, then that’s easy to do.
- Go into the Gmail website on a desktop browser.
- Click on the Gear icon and select See all settings.
- Go into the Accounts tab.
- Find the Send mail as section, and click on edit info.
- A new window will appear. Under Name, click on the second option with an empty text box.
- Enter the new name.
- Hit Save changes.
Once you’ve been overthrown from your throne, and you’re a mere commoner again, you can go back into Gmail and change your name back. Nothing is forever.
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FAQs
No. The only way to obtain a new email address is to create a new account.
Yes. While you can’t change your Gmail email address, changing the name that appears on emails you send is very simple.
You get two options when changing a name on Gmail. The first is your recorded name, and the second you can edit as you wish. While you can’t just save a bunch of names and switch around, you can always edit your name as you wish.