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Show and add nicknames for your iPhone contacts
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Do you want a different name to show for your contacts on iPhone? You can add a nickname to change someone's display name. These nicknames will replace a contact’s first and last name any time a contact calls, texts, or emails you. Here's how to display nicknames for contacts on an iPhone.
Quick Steps
- Open Settings .
- Tap Contacts .
- Tap Short Name .
- Toggle on Prefer Nicknames .
Steps
Section 1 of 3:
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Open your iPhone’s Settings. This is the grey cog icon.
- If you don't see Settings, you can find it in the App Library .
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Tap Apps and select Contacts . Scroll to the bottom of the Settings menu and tap Apps , then locate Contacts in the C section of the Apps menu.
- If you're using iOS 17 or earlier, scroll down in the main Settings menu and tap Contacts . You can find this underneath Passwords and Mail .
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Tap Short Name . This is below Display Order .
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Toggle on"Prefer Nicknames". Your iPhone will now display the contact's assigned nickname when receiving a call or message from them. [1] X Research source
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Section 2 of 3:
Adding a Nickname to a Contact
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Open the Contacts app. This looks like a grey person icon with colored tabs on the right.
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Tap on a contact to edit. All of your contacts will be listed on the left side of the screen. You can use the search bar to quickly find someone.
- You can add a new contact if necessary.
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Tap Edit . This button is in the upper-right corner of the screen.
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Scroll down and tap add field . This button is right above the Linked Contacts section.
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Tap Nickname . It is located at the bottom of the first group of options in the popup menu. The popup menu will disappear.
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Tap the "Nickname" field. This is underneath the contact's last name field.
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Enter a nickname and tap Done . This is at the top-right corner of the screen. The nickname will replace the contact’s actual name and will appear anytime the contact is displayed during a phone call, text message, or email.
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About This Article
Article Summary
X
1. Open Settings
.
2. Tap Contacts
.
3. Tap Short Name
.
4. Switch Prefer Nicknames
to “on.”
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 47,250 times.
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