How to Change YouTube Channel Name
If you are here, you are probably wondering how to change the name of your YouTube channel. Note that the name of your channel is the same as your YouTube username. If you want to change it, there are a few important pointers that you need to keep in mind.
No eligibility requirements.
Unlike changing your YouTube channel URL, changing the channel name doesn’t have eligibility requirements. It doesn’t matter if your channel is fairly new with zero subscribers. You can change your channel name without worrying if you are eligible or not.
Changing the channel name will also change the name that appears in your Google account.
This means if you ultimately decide to change the name of your channel, the new name will appear on all of your Google services like Google Plus, Photos, Gmail, etc.
Let’s talk about limits!
Keep in mind that while you are free to change your YouTube channel name, you are only allowed to do it three times every 90 days. Once you reach the limit, you need to wait for at least 3 months before you can change it again.
Consider creating a brand account.
If you would like to keep your real name as your Google account name, you might as well consider creating a channel using a brand account. With a brand account, you are free to create a channel with a different name than your main account. It can be a name of your business, brand or even an alias.
Now that you are all aware of the things you need to keep in mind before changing your YouTube name, let’s get started!
Step 1
Log in to your YouTube account.
Step 2
Once you’re logged in, click the profile photo on the top-right of your default YouTube dashboard. After clicking it, a menu should appear. On the menu, click “Settings”.
Step 3
On the settings page, you should be able to change or update how you appear on YouTube. From the menu on the left, select “Account”. If you are on the right page, you should be able to see your current YouTube account name. All you need to do is click the “Edit on Google” link right beside it. It should automatically open a new tab.
Step 4
In the new tab, you should be seeing options to change your first and last name as well as your nickname and desired display name. Feel free to change these details as desired. You can leave the nickname field blank. Click “OK” when done.
Step 5
After completing the previous step, Google will display a notice and will ask once again that you confirm the name change. Click “Change Name” to confirm. You can close the tab and go back to your YouTube dashboard. If you go to your channel, you can immediately see that your channel name has been changed. Success!
A quick reminder
While YouTube is generous enough to allow its users to change their channel name, you shouldn’t do it too often. As much as possible, only do it when necessary because in one way or another, this will affect how your subscribers view your brand.
If your channel already has a significant number of views and subscriber count, you should carefully think about it first. Changing your channel name without properly informing your subscribers could cause confusion. People may wonder why they are subscribed to an unfamiliar account. This could significantly affect your channel growth and subscriber count.
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This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional.
© 2018 Kent Peligrino
