Table of Contents
- How to Set Names on WhatsApp
- How to Set Your Name on WhatsApp
- How to Restore Names on WhatsApp
- How to Alphabetize Names on WhatsApp
How to Set Names on WhatsApp
If you want to know how to set a name on WhatsApp for a number you are chatting with but is not yet in your contacts, or changing the one already in use, then follow the instructions below. This can be done on both Android and iPhone, through the dedicated app, and on computer, via WhatsApp for Windows and macOS or WhatsApp Web.
Android
If you have an Android smartphone and want to learn how to set names on WhatsApp for your contacts, first unlock your phone, access the Home screen or app drawer, and select the WhatsApp app icon.
Now that you can see the main screen of the app, if you wish to assign a name to a contact you are chatting with but haven’t saved it yet, select the Chat tab, tap on the conversation of interest, tap the phone number at the top of the screen and press the ⋮ button located in the upper right corner, then select Add to Contacts from the menu that appears.
At this point, if you want to create a new contact in your phone’s address book, tap the option to create a new contact shown on the next screen. If, instead, you want to add the phone number to an existing contact, select that option, choose the contact from the list, and edit the pertinent details accordingly.
Do you want to know how to edit the name already assigned to a contact? If so, go to the Chat tab at the top of the main WhatsApp screen and select the conversation with the user you want to edit.
If you haven’t started a conversation with the desired contact yet, first tap the button with the speech bubble with a + at the bottom right and select the user from the list shown. After these steps, tap the name of the contact at the top of the screen, press the ⋮ button located in the upper right corner, and tap Edit from the menu that opens. Fill out the name field on the Android address book screen that appears and tap to save the changes.
If it’s more convenient for you, you can also save a specific WhatsApp contact or edit existing ones directly from the Contacts app of your device, opening it (which usually has the icon of a phonebook), tapping the option to add a new contact, or selecting one to edit from the list provided and tapping the option for modification.
Note: The exact options to select in the Contacts app may differ depending on the version of Android you are using.
iPhone
If you are using an iPhone and want to set names on WhatsApp for your contacts, let me explain how to do it right away. First, unlock your “Apple phone,” access the Home screen or App Library, and select the WhatsApp app icon.
Now, if you wish to assign a name to a contact you are chatting with but have not saved it in the iOS address book, tap Chat at the bottom, select the conversation of interest, press the phone number at the top of the screen, and choose whether to create a new contact (Create New Contact) or add the number to an existing contact (Add to Existing Contact).
In the first case, type in the first name and the optional last name for the contact in the appropriate fields of the sheet that appears, and tap Save to save the changes. In the second case, select the contact already present in your iPhone address book to which you want to add the phone number and tap Save on the subsequent page.
Do you want to change the name already assigned to a specific contact? If so, select the Chat option at the bottom of the main WhatsApp screen and open the conversation with the user of interest by tapping on it. If you haven’t started any conversation with the desired contact yet, first tap the + button at the top right and select the user from the list that appears.
On the chat screen now displayed, tap the current name of the contact (at the top) and tap the Edit option located in the upper right. Delete the content in the Name and, if desired, Last Name fields and input the new name, then save the changes by tapping the Save option located at the top right.
If it’s more convenient, you can also save a specific WhatsApp contact or edit existing ones directly from the iOS Contacts app. To do this, open the app on your iPhone, tapping the appropriate icon (the one resembling a stylized phonebook) and press the + button at the top right to add a new name, or select a contact to edit, and tap the Edit option (at the top right) to modify an existing contact.
Computer
As I mentioned previously, setting names on WhatsApp is also possible from a computer, but with some limitations.
Specifically, both the WhatsApp client for Windows/macOS and WhatsApp Web are extensions of the application installed on your smartphone, so some operations, such as changing the names of contacts, need to be completed on the phone.
The only alternative method may be to sync your address book with services like Gmail or iCloud and edit contacts in their respective web panels (accessible even from a computer).
How to Set Your Name on WhatsApp
Let’s see now how to set your name on WhatsApp from smartphone and PC. Your name can be a maximum of 25 characters long (chosen at the time of creating a WhatsApp account) but can be modified at any time and for an unlimited number of times. Here are all the details on how to proceed.
Android
If you own an Android smartphone, you can set your name on WhatsApp as follows: launch the popular messaging app on your device, tap the ⋮ button located at the top right of the screen, and select Settings from the menu that opens.
On the next screen, tap on your name at the top; then delete the current name in the visible text field, replace it with the new one you intend to use, and finally tap Save to save the changes.
iPhone
To set your name on WhatsApp from iPhone, you need to launch the messaging app on your device, tap the Settings tab at the bottom, and press your current name at the top.
At this point, tap the field immediately below the profile picture where the current name is displayed, delete the name in use, type the new name, and confirm the changes by tapping Done at the top right.
Computer
To change your name in WhatsApp on PC or WhatsApp Web, after logging in to your account, act as follows:
- WhatsApp Web – click on your profile picture at the bottom left, click on the pencil icon next to the Your Name field, delete the currently used name, type the new name you want to use, and click the check mark to confirm and save changes.
- WhatsApp for Windows – click your profile picture at the bottom left, then click on the pencil icon next to your current name and delete it. Then, type the new name you want to use and press Enter.
- WhatsApp for macOS – click on the gear icon at the bottom left, click on your current name, modify the text field on the right, and then click Done (at the top right of the window).
How to Restore Names on WhatsApp
If you have reached this tutorial looking for a solution on how to restore names on WhatsApp because you can no longer find a particular user in the contacts list, it is likely that you have deleted the relevant number from your smartphone’s address book, hence the associated account has also disappeared from the app.
To remedy this, you can consult my specific guide on how to recover deleted WhatsApp contacts. Alternatively, you can try to restore a chat backup: for all the details, check out my tutorial on how to recover WhatsApp backups.
How to Alphabetize Names on WhatsApp
Do you want to know how to alphabetize names on WhatsApp? In reality, you don’t need to do anything since the app does it automatically. If you notice issues in this regard, it’s likely that you’ve made a mistake saving some contacts (for example, putting the first name in place of the last name). Verify the accuracy of your contact data and make any necessary corrections.