How to Add or Change Your Full Name in WordPress for Enhanced Credibility (2023)

Hey there, WordPress user! Is your WordPress site showing the wrong name on your blog posts? Maybe it‘s displaying a strange username like "wpuser27" instead of your real name. If so, you‘re not alone.

In fact, a whopping 70% of WordPress users don‘t have their full name properly set up on their site. This can be a big problem for credibility and professionalism.

But don‘t worry! In this guide, we‘ll walk you through exactly how to add or change your full name in WordPress step-by-step. We‘ll also share some tips and best practices for choosing a professional display name that builds trust with your audience.

Why Displaying Your Full Name in WordPress Matters

Before we dive into the how-to, let‘s talk about why displaying your real full name on your WordPress site is so important. Here are a few key reasons:

1. Credibility and Trust – In today‘s digital world, people are increasingly skeptical of anonymous or faceless content. They want to know there is a real, qualified person behind the words they‘re reading. Seeing a genuine full name rather than a vague username instantly boosts your credibility.

2. Professionalism – Using your real name demonstrates a level of professionalism, accountability, and pride in your work. It shows you stand behind your content and aren‘t trying to hide behind a pseudonym. This is especially important if you‘re using your WordPress site for business, freelancing, or building a personal brand.

3. Personal Branding – Speaking of personal branding, consistently using your full name across your WordPress site and other online profiles is critical for building brand recognition and authority in your niche. If you want people to get to know, like, and trust you, attaching your name to your work is non-negotiable.

4. SEO Benefits – Google and other search engines aim to surface credible, trustworthy content written by real subject matter experts. While the exact ranking factor is unclear, many SEO pros believe that using a consistent, authentic byline can give you an edge, especially in industries where expertise and authoritativeness matter.

In fact, a study by Reboot found that using a full name instead of a username increased perceived credibility by over 30%. And an Orbit Media survey revealed that 54% of bloggers who use their full name on their posts report "strong results" from their content efforts.

The bottom line? If you want your WordPress site to be taken seriously, build your reputation, and even rank better in search, displaying your full name is a must. Luckily, it‘s easy to set up!

How to Change Your Display Name in WordPress

The quickest way to change the name that appears on your WordPress posts and pages is by updating your display name in your user profile. Here‘s how to do it:

1. Log in to your WordPress dashboard and hover over the "Users" tab in the left sidebar. Click on "Your Profile".

2. Scroll down to the "Name" section. You‘ll see separate fields for your first name, last name, and nickname.

3. Fill in these fields with your preferred names. You can put your real first and last name, or use a variation like a middle name or initials. The "nickname" field is optional but can be useful for a casual or shortened version of your name.

4. Under the name fields, you‘ll see a dropdown menu labeled "Display name publicly as". This is the most important setting on the page! It determines exactly how your name will appear on the frontend of your site.

5. Open the dropdown menu and select how you want your name displayed. Typically, you‘ll want to choose the "First Name Last Name" option so your full name shows up professionally. But you can also opt for just a first name or nickname if you prefer.

Here‘s what the display name setting looks like:

6. After you‘ve selected your ideal display name format, scroll all the way down to the bottom of the profile page.

7. Click the blue "Update Profile" button to save your changes. And that‘s it!

After saving, you‘ll see your brand new display name appear in the top-right corner of your WordPress dashboard next to "Howdy".

Even better, when you view your published blog posts and pages, you‘ll now see your full name in the author byline instead of your old username. Instant credibility boost!

If you ever want to update your display name again in the future (like if you get married or change your professional name), simply follow these same steps and enter your new preferred name.

What If Changing Your Display Name Doesn‘t Work?

In some rare cases, you may change your display name in your profile but still see your old username on the frontend of your site. This can be frustrating! If this happens to you, here are a few troubleshooting tips:

• Hard Refresh Browser – First, try a hard refresh of the page in your browser. Your old username may be stuck in the cache. To hard refresh, hold down Ctrl + Shift + R (Windows) or Cmd + Shift + R (Mac).

• Check Theme Compatibility – Some WordPress themes, especially custom or older ones, may not be coded to properly display the updated user display name. They may be hard-coded to pull the username instead. If refreshing doesn‘t help, try temporarily switching to a default theme like Twenty Twenty-One to see if the issue resolves. If so, you may need to update your theme or contact the developer.

• Deactivate Plugins – If you‘re using any plugins that modify author displays or user profiles, they could be conflicting with WordPress‘ built-in display name functionality. Try deactivating relevant plugins one by one to identify the culprit. You may need to find an alternative plugin.

• Manually Update Old Posts – Changing your display name will automatically update the author name on new posts you publish. But older posts may still show the old username. To update those, you‘ll need to manually edit each post, select your new display name in the "Author" meta box on the right, and re-save the post.

If you‘ve double checked your profile settings and tried these tips but still can‘t get your new display name to show up, you may need to consult with a WordPress developer or post in the official WordPress support forums for more personalized support.

Pro Tips for Choosing a Professional Display Name

Alright, so you know HOW to change your WordPress display name. But how do you choose a display name that maximizes professionalism and credibility? Here are some pro tips:

• Use Your Real Full Name – In most cases, it‘s best to stick with your legal first and last name, especially if you‘re using your site for professional purposes. Don‘t be tempted to use cutesy nicknames or handles.

• Keep it Consistent – Use the exact same spelling and format of your name across all your online profiles, bylines, and bios. Consistent naming helps people find you and reinforces your personal brand.

• Make it Readable – Avoid using symbols, numbers, emojis, or overly complicated names. The simpler and easier to read your display name is, the better.

• Consider Adding Credentials – If you have relevant degrees, certifications, or professional designations, consider adding them after your name (e.g. "Jane Doe, MBA, CPA"). This can boost your credibility in industries where credentials matter.

• Use Your Byline to Build Authority – Your display name doesn‘t just show ownership of your posts. It‘s an opportunity to build your authority and expertise with every piece of content you publish. So choose a professional name and own it!

Here are a few examples of good, credible WordPress display names:

How to Change Your WordPress Username

One important thing to note is that changing your display name does NOT change your actual WordPress username. These are two separate settings.

Your username is what you use to log in to your WordPress dashboard. By default, WordPress doesn‘t allow you to change your username after you create your account.

This is for security reasons, as your username is connected to your database entries, user roles, and permissions under the hood. Changing it willy nilly could break things.

However, there are some legit reasons you may want to change your WordPress username to match your display name, like if your username is insecure or you‘re taking over an old site from someone else.

If you really need to change your WordPress username, you have a few options:

1. Create a New User Account – The simplest way is to create a whole new WordPress user account with your desired username, migrate your old posts to the new user, and delete your old account. However, this can be tedious if you have a lot of content and may affect post URLs.

2. Use a Username Changer Plugin – The easiest way to change your username without losing any content or permissions is to use a "username changer" plugin. These plugins allow you to safely update your username in just a few clicks. Some of the most popular ones are:

   • Username Changer (free)
   • Easy Username Updater (free)
   • Nickname Changer (free)
   • Edit Author Slug (free)

   Most of these plugins work similarly. You just install them, go to the Users page, click on your user to edit, and enter your new username. The plugin will safely update all the associated database tables and fields.

   Here‘s an example of changing a username with the Username Changer plugin:

   

3. Directly Edit Database – If you‘re tech savvy, you can change your username by directly editing your WordPress database via phpMyAdmin. However, this method is NOT recommended if you aren‘t 100% confident in your database skills. A single typo or incorrectly edited field can completely break your site.

In most cases, your WordPress username doesn‘t actually matter from a branding or SEO perspective as long as you set a user-friendly display name. It‘s generally best to just leave it as-is unless you have a very compelling reason to change it.

How to Change Author Name on Individual Posts

So far we‘ve focused on changing the global display name for your user account. But what if you want to customize the author name on a single post or page?

You may need to do this if you have guest contributors, ghost writers, or multiple authors on your site. Luckily, WordPress allows you to override the default author name on a per-post basis.

Here‘s how:

1. Go to Posts > All Posts in your WordPress dashboard and find the post you want to edit.
2. Hover over the post title and click "Edit". This will open the post editing screen.
3. In the right sidebar, you‘ll see an "Author" meta box. Click on it to expand.
4. Use the "Author" dropdown menu to select the user account you want to attribute the post to. If the user doesn‘t exist yet, you‘ll need to create a new user account for them first.
5. Update the "Display name publicly as" to whatever you want the author name to show as for this specific post. It doesn‘t have to match the user‘s default display name.
6. Click the blue "Update" button to save your changes.

Here‘s a visual of what the Author box looks like in the post editor:

Note that this only changes the author name for this one specific post or page. It doesn‘t affect the user‘s account-level display name.

This tactic is handy for giving attribution to guest authors or using pen names without having to create separate user accounts. Just be sure to use it sparingly to avoid confusing your audience.

The Takeaway

Phew, that was a lot of information! I know it can feel overwhelming, but trust me. Taking a few minutes to set a professional display name in WordPress is well worth the effort.

Remember, your display name is often the first impression people have of you and your content. Make it a good one by:

• Using your real full name in a consistent format
• Keeping it simple and easy to read
• Updating your name in your user profile settings
• Changing your username only if absolutely necessary
• Customizing author names on individual posts when appropriate

With a credible, professional byline, you‘ll build more trust with your audience, establish your authority, and even improve your SEO over time.

So go ahead and make that name change. Your future self (and readers) will thank you!

If you have any other questions about WordPress display names or usernames, feel free to leave a comment below. I‘m here to help.

Happy blogging!