There are a few possible reasons why your name may appear differently on Snapchat compared to other platforms:
You Use a Display Name or Username
When you first create your Snapchat account, you can choose to set a unique display name or username separate from your real name. This display name is what will show up for your friends when you send Snaps or chat. Your real name likely shows up on other social media accounts or platforms.
For example, your real name might be Sarah Jones, but on Snapchat you could choose a display name like “Sunshine” or a username like “sunshinegirl123”. Your friends would then see that name instead of Sarah.
To check or change your Snapchat display name, go to your profile and tap the settings gear icon. Tap “Name” and you can enter a new display name. You can also tap “Username” to create or change your unique Snapchat username.
Your Name Uses Special Characters
Another reason your name may look different on Snapchat is if your real name contains special characters or accents. Some examples include names with apostrophes like “O’Connor” or accented letters like “Beyoncé”.
Snapchat does not allow special characters in usernames. So if your real name has any of these, Snapchat may remove or change them in your display name.
For example, “Joan O’Connor” might show up as just “Joan” or “Joan OConnor”. And “Renée Jones” could display as “Renee Jones”.
Unfortunately there is no way to add special characters to your Snapchat display name. The only option would be to remove the characters from your real name when setting up your account.
Your Account is Connected to Other Services
If you connected your Snapchat account to other services like Bitmoji or Spotify, it may pull your name or profile information from those platforms. This could cause your name to show up slightly differently than what you entered originally.
For example if your Spotify profile uses a variation of your name or shortened version, connecting it could update your Snapchat name to match. Or your Bitmoji profile name may not exactly match your Snapchat display name.
To prevent other services from overriding your name, you can disconnect your accounts in Snapchat’s settings. Just tap the settings gear icon, choose “Connections”, and disconnect from any linked platforms you don’t want impacting your name.
You Updated Your Name
Of course, if you manually changed your display name at some point, this would also lead to your Snapchat name differing from other platforms.
For example, maybe you got married and changed your last name on other social media accounts. But if you forgot to also update it on Snapchat, the names would no longer match up.
Remember you can edit your Snapchat name at any time in your profile. Just tap the settings icon, choose “Name”, and type a new display name.
Your Friends Changed How You’re Saved in Their Contacts
Interestingly, the name your friends see on Snapchat when receiving your Snaps or chats could be different than your actual Snapchat display name. This is because that name is pulled from how they have you saved in their phone’s contacts.
So if your friend has you saved as a nickname, shortened name, or maiden name for example, that variation would show up instead of your account’s display name.
In this case, the solution would be asking those friends to update your contact name in their phones to match your preferred Snapchat display name.
You Have Multiple Snapchat Accounts
Some Snapchat users end up having more than one account—maybe one for personal use and one for business, a new account after taking a break from Snapchat, etc.
If you have multiple accounts with different display names, obviously your friends would then see different names depending on which account you are using.
The only solution here would be to consolidate into a single account and let friends know you are now using just one Snapchat name.
Conclusion
In summary, there are a number of reasons why your name could show up differently on Snapchat compared to other platforms:
- Using a unique display name or username
- Your real name contains special characters
- Connecting your account to other services like Spotify
- Manually updating your Snapchat display name
- How friends have you saved in their contacts
- Maintaining multiple Snapchat accounts
To resolve any inconsistencies, double check your display name settings, disconnect linked accounts, ask friends to update their contacts, or consolidate multiple accounts. With a few simple tweaks, you can have your preferred name showing consistently across Snapchat and other platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I change my display name on Snapchat?
To change your display name on Snapchat:
- Go to your profile and tap the settings (gear) icon
- Tap “Name”
- Enter your new desired display name
- Tap the check mark to save your new name
Can I use special characters in my Snapchat name?
Unfortunately no, Snapchat does not allow special characters like dots, apostrophes, accents, etc. in your display name. If your real name contains special characters, they will likely be removed or changed in your Snapchat name.
Why does my name show differently for some friends?
The name your friends see on Snapchat is pulled from their phone contacts. So if they have your name saved differently, that variation shows up instead of your Snapchat display name. Ask friends to update your contact name to match your preferred Snapchat name.
What happens if I change my name on other platforms?
Your name on Snapchat will remain unaffected if you change it on other platforms like Instagram or Facebook. Your Snapchat display name can only be updated within the Snapchat app itself. The two names are not linked or synced across platforms.
Can someone impersonate me by using my name?
Snapchat user names are unique, so no one else can sign up with your exact same display name. However, they could use a very similar name with minor tweaks to try and impersonate you. Report any imposters to Snapchat immediately to get their account banned.
How Names Work on Snapchat
Here is some additional background on how names are set up and displayed on Snapchat:
- Users can create a unique display name separate from their real name when creating an account. This is what friends will see.
- Real names are not shown publicly but are used for account setup and confirmation.
- Friends see the name associated with the user’s phone number in the friend’s contacts.
- Display names can be changed later within profile settings.
- Usernames are unique identifiers that cannot be changed once set.
- Snapchat does not allow special characters in display names or usernames.
So in summary, the name friends will see is either the Snapchat display name they set, or the name used in the friend’s phone contacts if different. This explains why names may appear inconsistently for different friends.
Troubleshooting Tips
Here are some troubleshooting tips if your Snapchat name is showing up differently than expected:
Check Your Snapchat Display Name Setting
Go into your profile settings and verify your chosen display name. If it’s different than your name on other platforms, update it to match.
Ask Friends to Update Their Phone Contacts
Reach out to any friends who see an incorrect variation of your name. Ask them to edit your contact name to match your preferred Snapchat display name.
Disconnect Linked Accounts
Go to your Snapchat settings and disconnect any linked accounts like Spotify or Bitmoji that could be overriding your name. This will isolate your Snapchat name.
Consolidate Multiple Accounts
If you have multiple Snapchat accounts with different names, delete the extra accounts and tell friends you now just use one main account.
Report Impersonators
If someone has created a similar username to impersonate you, report them immediately to get their account banned.
Refresh the App
Sometimes restarting the Snapchat app can clear up display issues temporarily stuck in the app’s cache.
Preventing Name Inconsistencies
Here are some tips to avoid having your name show up differently on Snapchat versus other platforms:
- Set your display name to exactly match your real name or preferred profile name on other accounts.
- Ask friends to sync your Snapchat name with their phone contacts.
- Only connect accounts that won’t override your name like Bitmoji or Spotify.
- Keep your Snapchat display name consistent if you change your name on other sites.
- Delete old Snapchat accounts to consolidate your identity.
Following these best practices will help ensure your friends see a consistent name across platforms and avoid confusion.
Conclusion
In summary:
- Snapchat allows setting a display name separate from your real identity.
- Names can differ due to display settings, connected accounts, contacts, and multiple accounts.
- You can update your display name within Snapchat profile settings.
- Ask friends to sync their Snapchat contact name to their phone contacts.
- Disconnect linked services that may override your name.
- Consolidate multiple accounts for name consistency.
With a few simple tweaks to your profile settings and contacts, you can likely get your preferred name showing uniformly for all friends on Snapchat.