How To: Change Your Display Name on Skype to Stand Out More

Your Skype contact list might contain a sea of names that make it tough to find a specific person you're trying to reach. The same goes for your loved ones and colleagues, especially if you have a common name like Jennifer or John. Knowing that, you might want to change your Skype display name to set yourself apart.

While you can't change your Skype username without having to create a whole new account, you have the ability to change your display name to something more unique to help ensure you don't get lost in someone's contact list. Of course, we'll have to leave it up to you to come up with a catchy name, though we can at least show you how the process works for both Android and iPhones.

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Changing Your Skype Display Name

Changing your Skype display name couldn't be any easier to do — simply head to the "Chats" tab within the app to get started, then hit your avatar along the top of the screen and select "Settings." After doing so, tap on "Account & Profile" within the app's settings.

Now, tap on "your profile" inside the "Account and profile" page, then input your desired display name in the field on the following page. Hit the blue "Save changes" button once you're finished, then you're all set.

Alternatively, you can also change your display name by tapping on "Skype profile" within your profile overview page. From there, simply input the new display name in the field containing your old name, then tap on the check button once you're done to save the changes.

Keep in mind that Skype's contacts list is alphabetized. So if you want to game the system and try to show up at the top of other people's lists, you'll want to start your display name with an "A." You can add special characters to the front of your name (e.g., ~Name), but this will cause your name to appear at the very bottom.

This article was produced during Gadget Hacks' special coverage on texting, instant messaging, calling, and audio/video chatting with your smartphone. Check out the whole Chat series.