What’s in a name?
October 5, 2007 on 11:19 am | In Features |
One of the most common questions we get from users is “How do I change the name that other people see when I’m using Yahoo! Messenger?” Some users don’t want their first and last name to appear to others – they only want their Yahoo! ID or nickname to be what their online friends see.
Your display name in Yahoo! Messenger is stored under the Messenger menu > My Contact Details. When the My Contact Details window opens, you’ll see boxes for First, Middle, Last and Nickname. If all of those fields are blank, your Yahoo! ID (e.g. jomarcus07) will appear as your display name in your own Messenger window, and in the IM window when you’re chatting with friends.
If you fill in a Nickname like “BlogChick”, that will display on your own Messenger window and appear to friends when you’re IM’ing or when they add you to their friends list. The Nickname rules all – even if you have a first and last name in your Contact Details, the Nickname will be what appears in your list and what your friends see when you IM. (Note that if you IM with someone not on your friends list, that person will only see your Yahoo! ID.) When friends add you to their list, whatever name or nickname you’re displaying at the time will also be what identifies you on their list.
Keep in mind that if you had friends who already added you to their list when your first and last name were showing but you have since changed it, they will continue to see your first and last name. By removing your first and last name or changing your nickname in Contact Details, it does not then update on your friends’ lists. Once a friend has added you to their list, how you’re displayed is up to them. They can change your name, give you a new nickname. Because it’s their list, they get to choose how you appear.
Changes made to your name or nickname in Yahoo! Messenger do not affect your identity elsewhere on Yahoo!, such as Yahoo! Mail or Yahoo! Answers. Those properties have their own settings for display names so please review your account settings for each property for more information. You can also view and edit the original name you provided when registering for your Yahoo! ID by signing in at http://account.yahoo.com.
Our friends over at WackyB also have an excellent, in-depth article on this topic that includes tips on managing your display name when you’re being added to a friend’s list.
Sarah Bacon BlogChick
Product Manager
So in other words you have put it back the way it was. Sorry to see two steps forward and one back. but Thanks… This is helpful
Comment by Donna — October 5, 2007 #
sara becon u have told very nice info regarding name i was not know before. but there is another way as well during chatting the option appear change nick … and u can change ur nic from there as well……..;)
Comment by hitler — October 6, 2007 #
way to go sarah i loved the part where u cut sarah n wrote blogchick noww that was sexy!
Comment by guttsy — October 6, 2007 #
Id no idea, thanks alot
Redhead
Comment by REDHEAD — October 8, 2007 #
OMG! Thank you for posting this!! I have been going crazy trying to figure out how to change that for months now!! How much longer till Messenger for Vista comes out, feels like we have been waiting forever? Could you post us an update on that, Please? Thank you!
Comment by Amanda — October 10, 2007 #
thanks for this thorough explanation. however i receive an error when i try to change my contact details.
“The last Address Book operation did not succeed due to a server error. (Error Code: -40031)”
this is the error i see.
Comment by jon — October 12, 2007 #
When will we be able to delete and/or change our profile picture? I realize Yahoo pictures is closed, but shouldn’t we have the option to at the very minimum delete our profile picture? Does anyone have any insight on this?
Comment by inspire — October 25, 2007 #
I’d like to know why this was displaying an alternate account’s login AND password when I’ve never ever set it before.
Comment by M. Parker — November 9, 2007 #
My DisplayName not changing in Yahoo Messenger Public chat room area… its still showing old name even after changing it to new name. My Profiles has been removed from Messenger menu list.
Is nickname and displayname same or different??
Please help me out.
Comment by Ravi — October 29, 2008 #