Change Display Name?

[Harry Foud.1935]

I have a question. why can't we change our display names? Is there a plan to be able to do it in the future?(display name is the name following 4 digits. joe.1234 or smth)

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

[JustTrogdor.7892]

Here is a collection of posts from Anet in the old forum about display names and why it is not likely to be changed unless it meets strict criteria.

Anet usually only offers display name changes in the event the display name compromises your privacy, (example using real name or email address), or if the name violates the GW2 naming policy. The links below go to posts from Anet staff regarding this issue.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Name-Questions-Please-read-merged/first#post2087181https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Name-Questions-Please-read-merged/page/4#post4336410https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/support/support/Name-Questions-Please-read-merged/page/4#post5498462

Edit: Update with links to archived old forum as the original old forum is no longer available.

[Sylvari.2953]

I don't know why they won't let us change it, Anet would make tons of money with a display name change item, about 80% of my friends are unhappy with their names because they didn't know it would be visible in-game, lol. Edit: I actually hate the silly numbers in it, I never use numbers in my usernames so I wish we could just pick something unique... :)

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

@"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

You are mistaken. The Account Name is the email address associated with your account. Display Name is the name everyone sees, thus the 'display' designation.

As JustTrogdor stated, there have not been, and probably won't be, any plans to allow a change of Display Name. One of the reasons is it causes a bug within the game, and can make sending mail and friend's lists/guild member lists wonky.

[circuitnerd.5863]

I had my email changed not long ago and asked if they could change my username as well. They said they couldn't because it causes all sorts of bugs.

[Ayumi Spender.1082]

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

@"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

You are mistaken. The Account Name is the email address associated with your account. Display Name is the name everyone sees, thus the 'display' designation.

As JustTrogdor stated, there have been, and probably won't be, any plans to allow a change of Display Name. One of the reasons is it causes a bug within the game, and can make sending mail and friend's lists/guild member lists wonky.

Within the game? Or just on here? On here yeah, I see the name, but in game I pretty much see the name of the character the person logs in as.Like if their account is "Buffalo Zojja.5309" but their characters is "Dark Lord Avius" and "Butterball Kuribo", if they're on and talking I would either see Avius or Kuribo.The only time I see the "display name" is if I go into the friendlist or if they're in the guild and I highlight the character or something to let me know who is who.

[Fantasy.5321]

@circuitnerd.5863 said:They said they couldn't because it causes all sorts of bugs.

That's true. My display name was changed (because of copyright issues) but it changed back to the old one whenever I opened the guild window and when I changed my status (online/away/invisible). It was really weird. Anet told me to be patient because the name change needs some time to go through the whole system. The problem fixed itself in a few weeks.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

@Ayumi Spender.1082 said:

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

@Ayumi Spender.1082 said:So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

You are mistaken. The Account Name is the email address associated with your account. Display Name is the name everyone sees, thus the 'display' designation.

As JustTrogdor stated, there have been, and probably won't be, any plans to allow a change of Display Name. One of the reasons is it causes a bug within the game, and can make sending mail and friend's lists/guild member lists wonky.

Within the game? Or just on here? On here yeah, I see the name, but in game I pretty much see the name of the character the person logs in as.Like if their account is "Buffalo Zojja.5309" but their characters is "Dark Lord Avius" and "Butterball Kuribo", if they're on and talking I would either see Avius or Kuribo.The only time I see the "display name" is if I go into the friendlist or if they're in the guild and I highlight the character or something to let me know who is who.

In-game or out. Display Name is the name others see; Account Name (email address) no one sees.

[Zalbraxes.8267]

maybe thread necro, but I didnt want to start yet another one on the subject (and GM MagicalPotato suggested I posted my will on the forums after my Display Name Change request was denied)

I agree that there should be an option to change names that arent compromised in some way (real name, address, copyright)as stated before, some people didnt know it would be visible onlineand some just want to change it because they found a better one etc

and its no secret that if such service was paid, it would net quite a heavy amount to ANetpeople are willing to pay for aesthetics

[Gaile Gray.6029]

Please read the archived (linked) posts that Just Trogdor posted above. Please also read the confirmation by Fantasy that changing a Display Name causes problems, sometimes for an extended period of time.

There are very good reasons that we do not change Display Names, and I would think by the very designation Display Name that it would be clear that it would be, you know, displayed? :) It's important to know, if not mentioned in those threads, that changing a Display Name does not allow one to become hidden from former friends or follwers; so that reasoning is moot in this context. No matter the name, your Friends List goes with you. We suggest if someone is being harassed that they use the "Block" feature.

I'm sorry if the policy is displeasing, but because I've seen changes abused in other games, I do stand behind a policy that allows changes only for security reasons.

[Zalbraxes.8267]

Indeed, "running away" from those in your friends list is, at best, an odd reason (i mean, seriously, what?)still, Ill stand my ground on the aesthetic point; Im not invalidating any of the previously stated points (taking the chance to apologize if I ever sounded like those reasons stated by ANet employees are bad), but if the team were to find a way to turn it possible (maybe with a cooldown of, idk, 6 months? between aesthetic display changes), I believe there would be those even willing to pay for such a thing, although at least a one time only free service for existing users would surely be appreciated in such case <3

[scarryjack.3512]

three years ago, i stopped playing because this issue bothered me. it was holloween when i registered and i typed "scarry.jack" because everything i came up with was used. then i played 8 characters to level 80... with .scarry.jack <--- as my monicer. very annoying. if they don't want to change it, that's their choice. so was leaving the game. oh well.

[Inculpatus cedo.9234]

@"scarryjack.3512" said:three years ago, i stopped playing because this issue bothered me. it was holloween when i registered and i typed "scarry.jack" because everything i came up with was used. then i played 8 characters to level 80... with .scarry.jack <--- as my monicer. very annoying. if they don't want to change it, that's their choice. so was leaving the game. oh well.

Except no names are 'taken' in Display Names; there can be as many 'John' or 'Mary' or 'GWTwoFan' Display Names as desired. Well, 9999 of each one, anyway.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

@"scarryjack.3512" said:three years ago, i stopped playing because this issue bothered me. it was holloween when i registered and i typed "scarry.jack" because everything i came up with was used. then i played 8 characters to level 80... with .scarry.jack <--- as my monicer. very annoying. if they don't want to change it, that's their choice. so was leaving the game. oh well.

Not true. For example there are two Mea.xxxx that have posted on the forums, a Mea.5491 and a Mea.8967

[SIANZACZAC.7802]

@"scarryjack.3512" said:three years ago, i stopped playing because this issue bothered me. it was holloween when i registered and i typed "scarry.jack" because everything i came up with was used. then i played 8 characters to level 80... with .scarry.jack <--- as my monicer. very annoying. if they don't want to change it, that's their choice. so was leaving the game. oh well.

I've been playing since release and I quit for the same reason too, I've tried to keep a lowkey status because I am very disturbed by the display name I'm using, also because I thought that the lesser friends I had would make the change easier with what Inculpatus had said, 'a bug within the game, and can make sending mail and friend's lists/guild member lists wonky.' . It was also my younger brother who created this account with the IGN he used for other games, I was busy with work at the time and it was my mistake as I had assumed that anything in the sign up would be subject to change, I also come from a small country and I never really liked how his display name would roughly denote where I'm from to complete strangers..

Having hoped that the display name change would be available in the future, I've invested a lot of time and money on this account, made and lost touch with a bunch of friends, and even had GW2 to inspire me to start streaming 4 years ago before it's first expansion, but eventually I couldn't bear to play, stream or progress with the display name that I had anymore and quit almost immediately after purchasing the Heart of Thorns expansion, without ever once experiencing the new raid content..

Every few months or so I get nostalgic and I do eventually want to come back to GW2 to make it my home base MMORPG and perhaps stream daily. I have half a mind to create a new account, catching it up would be interesting because my focus interest of the game is the nostalgic exploration of the ever changing GW2 world and the unique combat system for both PvE and PvP content, I can bear with the loss of the time exclusive items I've farmed or paid for, but I can not bear with using the current display name I am using as it is a different form of a branding or a persona that I want to portray if I am ever streaming..

I wish there is something that can be done about the display name change as I really enjoy the game and I would like to play it for many years to come without eventually having to create a new account, I do understand that this request is perhaps futile, so I appreciate any response that comes along.

Thank You for your taking the time if you had read, and thank you ArenaNet Team for all your support so far.

[Linken.6345]

@"scarryjack.3512" said:three years ago, i stopped playing because this issue bothered me. it was holloween when i registered and i typed "scarry.jack" because everything i came up with was used. then i played 8 characters to level 80... with .scarry.jack <--- as my monicer. very annoying. if they don't want to change it, that's their choice. so was leaving the game. oh well.

Even I have to Linken accounts so yea odd that you hit the same last 4 digit as every name you tried mate.Did you by chance try to do 0001 on all of em or sum?

@SIANZACZAC.7802 said:

@"scarryjack.3512" said:three years ago, i stopped playing because this issue bothered me. it was holloween when i registered and i typed "scarry.jack" because everything i came up with was used. then i played 8 characters to level 80... with .scarry.jack <--- as my monicer. very annoying. if they don't want to change it, that's their choice. so was leaving the game. oh well.

I've been playing since release and I quit for the same reason too, I've tried to keep a lowkey status because I am very disturbed by the display name I'm using, also because I thought that the lesser friends I had would make the change easier with what Inculpatus had said, 'a bug within the game, and can make sending mail and friend's lists/guild member lists wonky.' . It was also my younger brother who created this account with the IGN he used for other games, I was busy with work at the time and it was my mistake as I had assumed that anything in the sign up would be subject to change, I also come from a small country and I never really liked how his display name would roughly denote where I'm from to complete strangers..

Having hoped that the display name change would be available in the future, I've invested a lot of time and money on this account, made and lost touch with a bunch of friends, and even had GW2 to inspire me to start streaming 4 years ago before it's first expansion, but eventually I couldn't bear to play, stream or progress with the display name that I had anymore and quit almost immediately after purchasing the Heart of Thorns expansion, without ever once experiencing the new raid content..

Every few months or so I get nostalgic and I do eventually want to come back to GW2 to make it my home base MMORPG and perhaps stream daily. I have half a mind to create a new account, catching it up would be interesting because my focus interest of the game is the nostalgic exploration of the ever changing GW2 world and the unique combat system for both PvE and PvP content, I can bear with the loss of the time exclusive items I've farmed or paid for, but I can not bear with using the current display name I am using as it is a different form of a branding or a persona that I want to portray if I am ever streaming..

I wish there is something that can be done about the display name change as I really enjoy the game and I would like to play it for many years to come without eventually having to create a new account, I do understand that this request is perhaps futile, so I appreciate any response that comes along.

Thank You for your taking the time if you had read, and thank you ArenaNet Team for all your support so far.

Looking at your name I have no idea of were your from ( looks like a scrambled jumble of uppercase letters to be honest) and I could get to know it by google but thats only becouse you said it was a identifire mate.

[Holykitten.3064]

Just gonna say, the average forum user / player doesn’t care what your display name is. It is what it is. I don’t know you or where you’re from by just reading your display name, if that helps. Maybe this anxiety is just in your head.

[Just a flesh wound.3589]

I’ll second that. No one cares what your display name is. Look around on the forums you’ll see all sorts of names from random to serious to silly. Not one of the people here who are unhappy about their display name has a name that stands out more than any other, or tells where you are from for that matter.

[Steve The Cynic.3217]

@"Just a flesh wound.3589" said:I’ll second that. No one cares what your display name is. Look around on the forums you’ll see all sorts of names from random to serious to silly. Not one of the people here who are unhappy about their display name has a name that stands out more than any other, or tells where you are from for that matter.

In GW2 I'd second that seconding, although I also play SWTOR, and I use the same display name over there, and I do occasionally get some snark from people about it in their forums. (There are occasions when people come up with spectacularly silly ideas, and they often don't take kindly to people pointing out the flaws. Sometimes that results in them dismissing my comments on the grounds that it's just some sort of cynical blither.) I don't care one way or another about people's opinion of my display name.

Coming from an informatic background, I find it weird that a "Display Name" is anything other than a cosmetic feature of the account. A display name in computing is normally a name that exists purely for cosmetic purposes, and calling it a "display name" means that the true name is some sort of hidden identifier that consequently does not need to ever change. Applying that to GW2, your Display Name should be just a name that's shown when the systems want to show stuff to (other) players and/or to GW2 staff, and all the "linkage" should be done with the hidden identifier. In this schema, the Display Name can be changed freely because it's just cosmetic. However, it's clear that the GW2 Display Name is (at least in part) the true name, except that it's not hidden.

[Pimpology.6234]

@Harry Foud.1935 said:I have a question. why can't we change our display names? Is there a plan to be able to do it in the future?(display name is the name following 4 digits. joe.1234 or smth)

@"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

you know upon account creation you can't change it. but what some may not understand is that everyone will call you by that name. You might think your account name is for you, but its not.

I think what the OP was getting at was just changing that display name but keeping the account name the same.So it would be account name - private(anet contact related), display name - public (call me this name). When i signed up i was use to people calling me by my toons name so i didn't really think about it, but nobody really does that anymore at first glance.It's quite obvious to tell who in your guild knows you and who doesn't however when they call you by your account name and not the name you go by (usually based off your main toons name).

I realize this won't be changing, but since i cosplay based off what your able to do with the character customization i didn't have a toons name picked out B4 before i created my account. I was too used to WoW(Lich king) pre dating the "battle tags" / "account name" when i quit wow and later started up with GW2. This idea of not being called by your toon name was a whole new thing for me. lol but w/e...

[Offair.2563]

Why would you in first place, its just a name though.

[Pimpology.6234]

@Ayumi Spender.1082 said:

@Inculpatus cedo.9234 said:

@Ayumi Spender.1082 said:So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

You are mistaken. The Account Name is the email address associated with your account. Display Name is the name everyone sees, thus the 'display' designation.

As JustTrogdor stated, there have been, and probably won't be, any plans to allow a change of Display Name. One of the reasons is it causes a bug within the game, and can make sending mail and friend's lists/guild member lists wonky.

Within the game? Or just on here? On here yeah, I see the name, but in game I pretty much see the name of the character the person logs in as.Like if their account is "Buffalo Zojja.5309" but their characters is "Dark Lord Avius" and "Butterball Kuribo", if they're on and talking I would either see Avius or Kuribo.The only time I see the "display name" is if I go into the friendlist or if they're in the guild and I highlight the character or something to let me know who is who.

i never get that, people always call me by my account name and i h8 it! (This is my 2nd account btw. so i like this one.) lolbut all my AP is on my other account :(

[SIANZACZAC.7802]

@Linken.6345 said:Looking at your name I have no idea of were your from ( looks like a scrambled jumble of uppercase letters to be honest) and I could get to know it by google but thats only becouse you said it was a identifire mate.

@Just a flesh wound.3589 said:I’ll second that. No one cares what your display name is. Look around on the forums you’ll see all sorts of names from random to serious to silly. Not one of the people here who are unhappy about their display name has a name that stands out more than any other, or tells where you are from for that matter.

Thank you, I appreciate your responses and I understand your efforts to help ease my mind under the current situation I'm in, but I have encountered some players who have guessed where I'm from based on my name because the name means something else in a different language.

I understand that most people turn a blind eye to it, but it is a contradicting statement as there are still some people who will see mine and others names as, 'looks like a scrambled jumble of uppercase letters to be honest', 'see all sorts of names from random to serious to silly', and to further elaborate with Steve's response

@Steve The Cynic.3217 said:In GW2 I'd second that seconding, although I also play SWTOR, and I use the same display name over there, and I do occasionally get some snark from people about it in their forums. (There are occasions when people come up with spectacularly silly ideas, and they often don't take kindly to people pointing out the flaws. Sometimes that results in them dismissing my comments on the grounds that it's just some sort of cynical blither.) I don't care one way or another about people's opinion of my display name.

I understand what you're trying to relate and for me it has become unbearable to continue playing on this account as I have encountered first time meetups with people who have directly made cynical remarks, curses and insults because of my name, it doesn't help especially whenever I join LFGs trying to make new friends or to guide new players because sometimes I would firstly be insulted for having a name that 'looks like a scrambled jumble of uppercase letters', it is especially hard for me to give new suggestions that works to the 'veteran' or new players. I understand that some players are simply toxic, but I would agree that I would not be threatened like that if I was using a less cracked up name..

For one instance I had to patiently tolerate the trash talk of back then a famous Youtuber who in his own words said I had a stupid name and was a noob dyslexic kid when we were in a dungeon, he assumed I had 'Blinding Powder' on my utilities as a Thief but what he saw was a similar animation from the 'Harpy Feathers' I was using in a dungeon, I had to calmly work my way around suggesting we run a more difficult dungeon so I could log on my Guardian and perform better, I also had to use a few glitches and weapon swaps before he finally noticed, respected and stopped degrading me..

@Steve The Cynic.3217 said:Coming from an informatic background, I find it weird that a "Display Name" is anything other than a cosmetic feature of the account. A display name in computing is normally a name that exists purely for cosmetic purposes, and calling it a "display name" means that the true name is some sort of hidden identifier that consequently does not need to ever change. Applying that to GW2, your Display Name should be just a name that's shown when the systems want to show stuff to (other) players and/or to GW2 staff, and all the "linkage" should be done with the hidden identifier. In this schema, the Display Name can be changed freely because it's just cosmetic. However, it's clear that the GW2 Display Name is (at least in part) the true name, except that it's not hidden.

Thanks Steve, just as was trying to state in my first post, I couldn't have said it any better, I play many different MMORPGs and I want to use the name that I chose for myself so that I can be recognised in the different games that I play.

@SIANZACZAC.7802 said:I can not bear with using the current display name I am using as it is a different form of a branding or a persona that I want to portray if I am ever streaming..

Thanks for all your time, responses and the support that came with so far, also I hope you can understand that not all of my time in GW2 was toxic and I have received a lot of love from the brilliant community that comes with it.

[Danikat.8537]

@Pimpology.6234 said:

@Harry Foud.1935 said:I have a question. why can't we change our display names? Is there a plan to be able to do it in the future?(display name is the name following 4 digits. joe.1234 or smth)

@"Ayumi Spender.1082" said:So not the character name right?If so, it's not the "display name". It's your account name. Not sure why you would need to change that.

you know upon account creation you can't change it. but what some may not understand is that everyone will call you by that name. You might think your account name is for you, but its not.

I think what the OP was getting at was just changing that display name but keeping the account name the same.So it would be account name - private(anet contact related), display name - public (call me this name). When i signed up i was use to people calling me by my toons name so i didn't really think about it, but nobody really does that anymore at first glance.It's quite obvious to tell who in your guild knows you and who doesn't however when they call you by your account name and not the name you go by (usually based off your main toons name).

I realize this won't be changing, but since i cosplay based off what your able to do with the character customization i didn't have a toons name picked out B4 before i created my account. I was too used to WoW(Lich king) pre dating the "battle tags" / "account name" when i quit wow and later started up with GW2. This idea of not being called by your toon name was a whole new thing for me. lol but w/e...

In my experience it varies a lot. I had a hard time contacting the person who organises raids for my guild because everyone calls her by a shortened version of her raid character's name...but she only logs into that character when she's raiding (I think it was her main character at one point, but that was before I joined the guild). I spent ages going up and down the guild roster and Discord list trying to find someone with the name I was told to look for and then had to ask several people what her account name was before I found someone who could remember.

But other people go by their account name, either because it's easier or because they don't really have a main character and there's nothing in common between their character names. Or maybe because that's what they prefer and asked people to call them.

I inadvertently got around the problem by 'borrowing' my main characters name for my display name, way before GW2 existed. I've played the same main character in RPGs since Ultima Online which is almost as long as I've had the internet and slightly before I needed a permanent display name (back then I just used chat rooms where you picked a name when you entered the room and it reset when you left). So when I needed a permanent screen name which couldn't be my real name I mashed up hers and mine and 18 years later I'm still using it. (I don't like coming up with screen names - my other one is Just_Me which literally came from "I don't want one that references my RP character for this forum, I want one which is just me...that'll do".)