Based on a recent post in the Yahoo_Messenger Yahoo Group, I thought I'd post my long reply here so others may benefit.
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of Bob
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:11 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] question about display name
Hi Lenny,
I want to change my display name that appears when I am on IM with another person, but have been unable to do this. When I check my account on the main Yahoo.com site, my "display name" is the one I want, but on Messenger there is a different one and I don't want it.
Can you please tell me how I can go about making this change?
Thanks!
Bob
My Reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:53 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] question about display name
First, lets make sure we have terminology correct and uses. Display Names are usually what I would reference with Yahoo Profiles (now called Yahoo Pulse) and how that name will show up in Chat Rooms.
I think.. what you are talking about right now, is how your name appears to the other users on your friends list and that is partly in your control and partly in the other users control... for folks that have already added you... but you can fix it for all of your *new* friends. You can't fix it for old friends and new friends can even change how you appear on their list by right clicking on your name and choosing Contact Details, which opens a window for them to edit what they want to show up for you.... but that's a separate issue than what you are asking about.
Here's why...
Click on the main Messenger Menu on your friends list window. Choose My Contact Details. In the Name area, you may have filled in your first and last name or some other info and your friends can choose to show either the Yahoo ID or the Contact Name in their own Preferences so if you have your Name as Bob Cal... or Rocking Bob or whatever, then that is what will show up on their end when they added you if they had their settings to show your Name instead of your Yahoo ID. They can edit the info you initially provided. On the main Messenger Menu, then Preferences, Appearance section, there is a setting for each user to show for each contact, if they want to show "Nickname or First and Last Name" OR "Yahoo ID". If you have nothing filled out for your First and Last Name or Nickname, then they will only get your Yahoo ID.
What I do is go into the My Contact Details, which will open up a window called "Add A Contact" (don't ask me why???) but you will see near the bottom that it has your Messenger ID. Leave that field with your Messenger ID... but on the top fields under Name, change your Name to whatever you may want to appear to some of your *new* friends... but this will not change how your *old* friends still see you... since they could have changed it however they wanted anyhow. Sometimes, a friend may request your contact details and if you allow this, they will get ALL info that you have in your contact details so use discretion since that file can contain all sorts of personal information (see all the tabs and fields that are available).
Now... if you are talking about a Display Name that might show up in a chat room, that would come down to editing your profile. To do this, click on the main Messenger Menu, then My Account Info, which will open a browser window where you will have to sign into your Yahoo account. Once in, you can edit your profile to however you like.
Here's a Yahoo Tutorial on editing one's profile. At the bottom of each page, there is a Next button to go to the next page. http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start1.html
I probably need to make a blog out of this! I've typed these instructions out so many times. LOL
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
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