I created this Hotmail account decades ago under the name [name1], changing that to [name2] when I married in [PII removed]. At times, it still appears as [name1]. I've gone into profile.live.com and can only see [name2] there. I'pt?

Question

I created this Hotmail account decades ago under the name [name1], changing that to [name2] when I married in [PII removed]. At times, it still appears as [name1]. I've gone into profile.live.com and can only see [name2] there. I'pt?

jacqueline douglas 0

Name change issue beyond clearing cache and profile

jacqueline douglas 0 Reputation points

2026-02-06T05:16:54.8766667+00:00

...a correction to my question which appears with odd I'pt? at the end. That should read 'I've cleared cache many times over the years. Is there a way to go deeper into the system and reach the old name to remove it?'

2 answers

Your answer

jacqueline douglas 0 Reputation points

2026-02-06T05:16:54.8766667+00:00

...a correction to my question which appears with odd I'pt? at the end. That should read 'I've cleared cache many times over the years. Is there a way to go deeper into the system and reach the old name to remove it?'

Answer 1

jacqueline douglas 0

Dear Vikki

Thank you for your response.

I have this experience on laptops and on my phone, the example from today being on my mobile.

Can you help?

[moderator's note: PII removed]

Vikki-T 3,760 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-10T14:46:33.6333333+00:00
Dear jacqueline douglas,

Thank you for your updating the details into Microsoft Q&A Forum.

I understand you’re seeing the former name [Name1] appear intermittently even though your Microsoft profile shows [Name2]. Since this can be pulled from different places (Microsoft account profile, the Outlook app’s local account display name, or a saved contact card) and your most recent example is on mobile, could you please check these on your phone:

Outlook mobile app > Settings > select your account:

If you see a “Display name” field, update it to [Name2], then fully close and reopen the app.

Refresh the sign-in/session:

Sign out of the account in Outlook mobile, restart the phone, then sign in again.

Check for a saved contact entry:

In Outlook/People/Contacts, search your own email address and remove/merge any contact card that still shows [Name1].

On your laptop, please also confirm which Outlook you use (Classic Outlook for Windows, New Outlook for Windows, or Outlook.com in a browser). If possible, please share a brief description or a screenshot (with any personal info masked) of exactly where [Name1] appears (account list, contact card, message “From” line, or an older email thread). Wish you all the best with the steps above. Please let me know the results when you're in convenient.

Thank you so much for your cooperation.
Vikki-T 3,760 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-11T14:12:32.52+00:00

Dear jacqueline douglas,

It has been a while and I am writing to see how things are going with this issue.

Have you had a chance to check the replies provided?

Any update would be appreciated.
jacqueline douglas 0 Reputation points

2026-02-12T17:08:06.0633333+00:00

Dear Vikki

I tried a couple of things in Settings and seem to have removed [surname 1]. thank you so much!

All the best

Jacqueline
Ian-T 7,630 Reputation points Microsoft External Staff Moderator

2026-02-13T03:16:46.2766667+00:00

Hi jacqueline douglas,

I'm following with you on behalf of Vikki-T's. Glad that things are working smoothly.

Thank you for your time and effort. Have a great day

Answer 2

Dear jacqueline douglas,

Thank you for your question and for sharing the details into Microsoft Q&A Forum.

I understand you changed the name on your Microsoft profile to [name2], but the older name [name1] still appears in some places. Because the display name can be pulled from different locations (account profile, Outlook client settings, cached entries, or saved contacts), the next step is to narrow down exactly where the old name is being shown so we can target the correct setting.

Which Outlook experience are you using? (Outlook for Windows, New Outlook for Windows, Outlook.com, Outlook on iOS/Android)
Where exactly do you see [name1]?

While our initial response may not fully resolve the issue, we truly appreciate your cooperation as we work together toward identifying the most effective solution.

To help protect your personal information, I will remove the marriage year and use [Name1] to represent the former name and [Name2] to represent the current name for clarity. Thank you for your understanding.

Note: Please follow the steps in our documentation to enable e-mail notifications if you want to receive the related email notification for this thread.

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I created this Hotmail account decades ago under the name [name1], changing that to [name2] when I married in [PII removed]. At times, it still appears as [name1]. I've gone into profile.live.com and can only see [name2] there. I'pt?

2 answers

Your answer