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Change your name in Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Outlook.com

You can change the From: name in your Web e-mail accounts. We'll show you how to change it in Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Outlook.com.

Ed Rhee
Ed Rhee, a freelance writer based in the San Francisco Bay Area, is an IT veteran turned stay-at-home-dad of two girls. He focuses on Android devices and applications while maintaining a review blog at techdadreview.com.
Ed Rhee
2 min read
Yahoo Mail
Ed Rhee/CNET

When you signed up for a new Web e-mail account, you probably filled out your account profile and entered your real name. When you send e-mails with that account, your real name is displayed in the From: field of the e-mail header.

You may, however, want to change your name so that only your first name is displayed for privacy reasons, or use a completely different name just for fun. All three of the major Web e-mail providers (Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Outlook.com) offer a way to change your name.

Gmail

Step 1: Click on the gear icon, then select Settings

Step 2: Click on the Accounts tab, then under the Send mail as: section, click on the "edit info" link.

Step 3: Enter a new name in the box and make sure the radio button for the new name is selected. Click on the Save Changes button to save.

Change Gmail name
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET

Yahoo Mail

Step 1: Click on the gear icon, then select Settings

Step 2: Go to the Account tab, then under the Yahoo account section, click on the Edit button.

Step 3: Enter a new name in the Sending Name box, then click Save. Click Save again to save your new settings.

Change Yahoo name
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET

Outlook.com

Step 1: Click on the gear icon, then select More mail settings

Step 2: Under Managing your account, click on Account details.

Step 3: When your Account summary shows up, click on the "Edit display name" link under your name.

Step 4: Enter a new first and last name, then click Save. Unlike Gmail and Yahoo Mail, Outlook.com requires a first and last name.

Change Outlook.com name
Screenshot by Ed Rhee/CNET

Your new name should now show up in the From: field in all new e-mails. E-mails from the official mobile apps should also use your new name. If they're not, try logging out of the apps, then logging back in.