How to Change Your Google Name

After you create a Google account, your Google account name is used by default across many of the Google services you use, including Gmail, YouTube, Drive, Photos, and more.

Although you can change or update your name for a few select Google services individually, such as when you change the From name in Gmail, it's easier to change your name on your Google Account so that it's updated across all your Google services.

Why You Might Want to Change Your Google Name

Some reasons to change your Google name include:

• When you want to update your first or last name upon legally changing it (such as updating it to the last name of your spouse after getting married).
• If you want to use an initial for your first or last name.
• If you want to include a middle name after your first name.
• When you want to use a middle name in place of your last name for privacy reasons
• If you want to use a shortened version of your first name instead of the full version, or vice versa (such as "John" versus "Jonathan" or "Mike" versus "Michael").

You can change your Google name from a web browser, from your Android device settings, or from within the Gmail iOS app.

How to Change Your Google Name on the Web

1. Navigate to your Google account in a web browser and sign in to your account if necessary.

2. From the left vertical menu, select Personal Info.

3. To the right of your name, select the right-facing arrow.

4. Enter your new first and/or last name in the given fields.

5. Select Save when you're finished.

How to Change Your Google Name on Your Android Device

If you have an Android smartphone or tablet, you can change your Google name by accessing your device's settings.

1. Open your device's Settings app.

2. Tap Accounts.

3. Tap the account for which you want to change the name.

4. Tap Google Account.

5. Tap Personal Info.

6. Tap Name.

7. Enter a new name and tap Save.

How to Change Your Google Name From Within the iOS Gmail App

If you use the official Gmail app on your iPhone or iPad, there's no need to access My Account from a mobile web browser. You can access it from within Gmail.

1. Open the Gmail app on your iOS device and sign in if necessary.

2. Tap the Menu (three horizontal lines) in the top left.

3. Scroll down and tap Settings.

4. Tap the email address associated with the corresponding Google Account whose name you want to change.

5. Select Manage your Google Account.

6. Tap Personal Info.

7. Tap the Name field.

8. Enter a new name and tap Save.

How to Add or Change Your Google Nickname

You can set a Google name (first and last) as well as a nickname, which can be used alongside your first and last name if you want to display it that way.

For example, if you want to keep your first and last name as "Jonathan Smith," you can set your nickname to "Jon" to let people know that this is what you like to be called. Then you can choose to have your name displayed as:

• Jonathan "Jon" Smith;
• Jonathan Smith (Jon)
• Jonathan Smith — (with no visible nickname).

1. Navigate to your Google About Me page and sign in to your account if necessary.

2. Select your name.

3. In the Nickname field, select Edit (pencil icon).

4. Type your nickname and select Save.