How to Change Your Google Name

Keep your online presence up to date

Google home page on a laptop screen.

Pixabay

by Elise Moreau
Elise Moreau is a digital marketer, web content writer and copywriter. She has covered web trends for Lifewire and previously About.com, since 2011.
Updated June 18, 2019

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 on a separate basis, like setting up a Gmail username, it's easier to change it 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:

  • Wanting 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).
  • Wanting to use an initial for your first or last name.
  • Wanting to include a middle name after your first name.
  • Wanting to use a middle name in place of your last name for privacy reasons
  • Wanting 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 myaccount.google.com in a web browser and sign into your account if necessary.

  2. Select Personal Info in the vertical menu on the left (desktop web) or the horizontal menu at the top (mobile web).

    A screenshot of Google.com.

  3. Select the > arrow to the right of your name.

    A screenshot of Google.com.

  4. Select the pencil icon to edit your name.

    A screenshot of Google.com.

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

    A screenshot of Google.com.

  6. Select Done when you're finished.

Google limits how many times you can change your name in a certain period of time. You can change it up to three times if you created your account more than two weeks ago, but if you created it less than two weeks ago, you can change it more often.

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 by tapping the gear icon on the home screen or in an app drawer.

  2. Tap Google > Google Account.

    Two screenshots of Android Settings.

  3. Tap the Personal info option at the top.

    A screenshot of Android Google settings.

  4. Tap Name under the Profile option. You might be required to sign into your account first.

    A screenshot of Android Google settings.

  5. Tap the pencil icon to edit your name.

    A screenshot of Android Google settings.

  6. Enter your desired first and/or last name into the corresponding fields.

  7. Tap Done when finished.

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 simply access it from within Gmail.

  1. Tap to open the Gmail app on your iOS device.

  2. Tap the menu icon in the top left.

    A screenshot of Gmail for iOS.

  3. Scroll down to tap Settings from the menu and then tap the email address associated with the corresponding Google Account that has the name you want to change.

    A screenshot of Gmail for iOS.

  4. Tap Manage your Google Account.

    A screenshot of the Gmail app for iOS.

  5. Tap Personal Info.

    A screenshot of Gmail for iOS.

  6. Tap the > arrow beside your name.

    A screenshot of Gmail for iOS.

  7. Tap the pencil icon to type a new first name and/or last name in the given fields.

    A screenshot of Gmail for iOS.

  8. Tap Done.

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); or simply
  • Jonathan Smith — (with no visible nickname).

This nickname is different from the nickname you can set up separately to use with your Google Home app.

  1. Navigate to aboutme.google.com and sign into your account if necessary.

  2. Select the pencil icon at the top of the screen beside your profile picture.

    A screenshot of Google.com.

  3. Type a nickname into the Nickname field.

    A screenshot of Google.com.

  4. Optionally set your display name by selecting the dropdown arrow beside the Display my name as: option. You can set it to be displayed as one of the following across your Google Account:

    • First Last
    • First "Nickname" Last
    • First Last (Nickname)

  5. Select OK when you're done.