How to Display Nicknames for Contacts on an iPhone

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Last Updated: May 17, 2024 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to display contact nicknames on an iPhone. These nicknames will replace a contact’s first and last name anytime a contact calls, texts, or emails the iPhone.

Quick Steps

Open Settings .
Tap Contacts .
Tap Short Name .
Toggle on Prefer Nicknames .

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Displaying Nicknames

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1
Open your iPhone’s Settings. The icon will appear as a set of grey cogs located on one the home screens.
- If Settings isn’t present on a home screen, its icon may be located in the Utilities folder on one the home screens.
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It is located in the fifth set of menu options.

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It is located in the second group of menu options.
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The iPhone will now display the contact’s nickname when receiving a call or message from them. ^{[1]
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Research source}

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Adding a Nickname to a Contact

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The icon looks like a grey silhouette of a man and is located on one of the home screens.
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All of your contacts will be listed on the left side of the screen.
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This button is in the upper right corner of the screen.
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This button is right above the Linked Contacts section.
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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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It is near the top of the contact profile, underneath the contact’s first and last name.
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This is in the upper right corner of the screen. The nickname will now 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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How to Display Nicknames for Contacts on an iPhone

Quick Steps

Steps

Displaying Nicknames

Adding a Nickname to a Contact

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