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Updating Your Email Identity: A Guide to Changing Your Email Name

7 August, 2024 9 Mins Read

Your email identity plays a crucial role in both your personal and professional life. It’s often the first impression you make when communicating online, and having an outdated or incorrect email name can lead to confusion or even hinder your professional image. Updating your email name is a practical step. This blog will walk you through the process of changing your email name across various platforms and provide tips for ensuring a smooth transition.


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Why Change Your Email Name?

Before diving into the how-to, let’s consider why you might want to change your email name:

Professional Rebranding: Your email name is a significant aspect of your brand. If you’re starting a new career path, starting a business, or aiming to project a more professional image, updating your email name is a critical step. Here’s why:

  1. Reflecting New Professional Roles: If you’ve switched industries or roles, your old email name might not accurately represent your new professional identity. For instance, an email address like “johndoe_writer@gmail.com” might have been perfect when you were a journalist, but as a new business consultant, “johndoe_consultant@gmail.com” might be more fitting.
  2. Enhancing Credibility: A professional-sounding email name can significantly enhance your credibility and the impression you make on clients, colleagues, and potential employers. An email name that aligns with your professional persona helps establish trust and authority.
  3. Brand Consistency: If you are starting a new business, having an email name that matches your business name or brand can help in building brand recognition. It makes your communication appear more cohesive and professional, such as using “john@johnsconsulting.com” instead of a generic Gmail address.
  4. Networking: When you attend networking events or conferences, having an email address that clearly states your professional role can make it easier for new contacts to remember and associate you with your field of expertise.

Personal Changes: Life is full of significant events that may prompt you to change your email name to better reflect your current identity. These personal changes can include:

  1. Marriage: Taking your spouse’s last name or hyphenating your surname might lead you to update your email name to reflect your new marital status. For example, “jane.doe@gmail.com” might become “jane.smith@gmail.com” or “jane.doe-smith@gmail.com”.
  2. Divorce: After a divorce, you might want to revert to your maiden name or a new chosen name. This change can symbolize a fresh start and help you move forward.
  3. Name Changes: For various personal reasons, such as cultural, religious, or personal preference, you might change your name. Updating your email name accordingly ensures that your digital identity matches your real-world identity.
  4. Gender Transition: During gender transition, changing your email name to match your new name is a critical step in aligning your digital presence with your true identity. It’s a way to ensure that all your communications reflect your authentic self.

Correction of Errors: Mistakes happen, and if your current email name has errors or is not optimal, correcting it can improve your email communication significantly:

  1. Typos and Misspellings: An email name with typos or misspellings can appear unprofessional and may lead to miscommunication. For instance, “jonh.doe@gmail.com” should be corrected to “john.doe@gmail.com” to avoid confusion.
  2. Complexity: If your email name is too long, difficult to spell, or remember, it can create issues for those trying to contact you. Simplifying “jane.the.great.writer.smith@gmail.com” to “jane.smith@gmail.com” can make it easier for others to remember and use your email address correctly.
  3. Professionalism: An email name that seemed fun or appropriate during college might not suit your professional life. Changing “cooldude123@gmail.com” to “john.doe@gmail.com” is a necessary step towards professionalism.
  4. Accuracy: If your email name no longer accurately represents your identity or professional role, updating it ensures that your communications are clear and precise. For example, changing “john.sales@gmail.com” to “john.marketing@gmail.com” if your role has shifted from sales to marketing.

Consistency: Consistency across your digital platforms is crucial for a cohesive and professional online presence. Here’s why updating your email name to maintain this consistency is important:

  1. Professional Cohesion: Using the same name across your email, social media profiles and professional networks creates a unified and professional image. This consistency helps in building a strong personal brand. For example, if your LinkedIn profile is “John Smith, Marketing Specialist,” your email should reflect the same identity.
  2. Ease of Recognition: When your email name is consistent with your other digital identities, it’s easier for contacts to recognize and remember you. This can be particularly important for networking, job searching, and client communications. If your email name differs significantly from your social media handles or professional profiles, it can cause confusion.
  3. Simplified Communication: Consistency simplifies communication and reduces the chances of miscommunication. It ensures that people can easily find and contact you across different platforms. For instance, if you use “john.smith@company.com” for work, ensure your professional profiles and business cards reflect the same.
  4. Trust and Reliability: A consistent email name helps in building trust and reliability. People are more likely to trust communications from an email name that matches your established online presence. It signals that you are organized and professional, which is essential for building professional relationships.

Changing Your Email Name on Major Platforms

Gmail

  1. Log In: Sign in to your Gmail account.
  2. Settings: Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner and select “See all settings”.
  3. Accounts and Import: Navigate to the “Accounts and Import” tab.
  4. Send Mail As: In the “Send mail as” section, click on “edit info”.
  5. Change Name: Enter your new name and click “Save Changes”.

This process changes the display name that recipients see when they receive your emails. Your actual email address remains the same unless you create a new Gmail account.

Outlook

  1. Log In: Sign in to your Outlook account.
  2. Settings: Click on the gear icon in the top-right corner and select “View all Outlook settings”.
  3. Mail: Navigate to “Mail” and then “Compose and reply”.
  4. Email Signature: Update your name in your email signature if necessary.
  5. Change Your Name: Go to “Your info” and select “Edit name”. Enter your new name and save the changes.

Yahoo Mail

  1. Log In: Sign in to your Yahoo Mail account.
  2. Settings: Click on your profile name in the top-right corner and select “Account info”.
  3. Personal Info: Click on “Personal info” and then “Edit”.
  4. Change Name: Enter your new name and click “Save”.

Apple Mail (iCloud)

  1. Log In: Sign in to your iCloud account.
  2. Account Settings: Go to “Account Settings”.
  3. Personal Information: Click on “Manage” under your Apple ID and then “Edit” in the “Name” section.
  4. Change Name: Enter your new name and save the changes.


Creating a New Email Address

In some cases, you might want to create an entirely new email address. This can be especially useful if your current email address doesn’t reflect your new name or professional image. Here’s how you can do it:

Gmail

  1. Sign Up: Go to the Gmail sign-up page.
  2. Create Account: Follow the instructions to create a new email address with your desired name.
  3. Import Old Emails: Use Gmail’s import feature to transfer emails from your old account to your new one if necessary.

Outlook

  1. Sign Up: Go to the Outlook sign-up page.
  2. Create Account: Follow the instructions to create a new email address.
  3. Import Old Emails: Use Outlook’s import feature to transfer emails from your old account.

Yahoo Mail

  1. Sign Up: Go to the Yahoo Mail sign-up page.
  2. Create Account: Follow the instructions to create a new email address.
  3. Import Old Emails: Use Yahoo Mail’s import feature if you need to transfer emails.


Informing Contacts and Updating Accounts

After changing your email name or creating a new email address, the next step is to inform your contacts and update linked accounts:

  1. Email Contacts: Send an email from your new email name/address to your contacts explaining the change. Be sure to include both your old and new email addresses for reference.
  2. Social Media and Professional Networks: Update your email information on social media platforms (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) and professional networks.
  3. Subscriptions and Services: Log in to services where your email is used for login or communication and update your email information. This includes banking, online shopping, subscriptions, and any other relevant services.
  4. Email Signature: Update your email signature to reflect your new name. Include a brief note about the change for a transitional period.


Best Practices for Email Name Changes

  1. Choose a Professional Email Name: If you’re creating a new email address, select a name that is professional and easy to recognize. Avoid using nicknames or complex strings of numbers.
  2. Consistent Communication: Use your new email name/address consistently across all platforms to build recognition and trust.
  3. Forwarding and Auto-Reply: Set up email forwarding from your old address to your new one. Additionally, consider an auto-reply on your old email, informing senders of your new email address.
  4. Gradual Transition: Allow a transition period where you monitor both the old and new email addresses to ensure no important communications are missed.
  5. Regular Updates: Periodically review and update your email settings and information across platforms to ensure everything remains accurate and professional.

Updating your email identity by changing your email name can seem like a daunting task, but with careful planning and execution, it can be a smooth process. By following the steps outlined in this blog, you can ensure that your new email name is effectively integrated into your digital life, minimizing disruptions and maximizing the benefits of a fresh, professional identity. So, take the plunge and update your email identity to better reflect who you are today.

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