Use the display name only to identify who is sending, with a consistent and accurate company or product name. Do not put subject lines, urgency, the recipient's name, reply markers or fake verification symbols in it. Google says misuse can hurt delivery to personal Gmail accounts.
Definition
The display name is the friendly text before the address in the From field, for example a company name followed by an address in angle brackets. Recipients see it first, which is why attackers abuse it and why mailbox providers police it.
What Google's guidance says
Google's sender guidelines say display names should be used exclusively to identify the sender, should reflect a consistent, clear and accurate statement of the sender's identity, should not include subject or message content, and should never be used to deceive the recipient.
Its examples of patterns to avoid:
| Pattern | Why it is a problem |
|---|---|
| Urgent or promotional words, such as a last chance warning | Puts message content in the name |
| The recipient's first name as the display name | Suggests a personal message |
| Reply or thread markers such as a number in brackets after a name | Implies an ongoing conversation |
| Emojis or symbols that mimic a badge or tick | Imitates a verification mark |
| An @gmail.com address as the display name on bulk mail | A recognised spoofing pattern |
| Bracketed alert or new message tags | Imitates system notices |
The same guidance says not to use emojis or images next to display names or brand names to imply the name has been verified, not to start subject lines with Re: or Fwd: unless the message is a real reply or forward, and not to hide content with HTML and CSS.
Why this is a security topic
The same tricks that win clicks are the ones phishers use. If your legitimate alerts look like phishing, users learn to ignore both, and your support team pays for it. A plain, predictable sender name trains users to spot the odd one out. See how to read email headers.
Steps
- Pick one display name per stream, such as your company name for accounts and a product name for newsletters, and keep it stable.
- Review templates for urgency words, reply markers and symbols in the name.
- Make sure the display name and the authenticated domain agree. The From domain should align with your SPF or DKIM domain.
- Never let users set the display name of mail your system sends on their behalf without limits. "Invite a friend" features can otherwise send mail that looks like it came from anyone.
- Keep transactional and promotional addresses apart. See separating streams.
- Add a template lint check to your release process that rejects banned patterns.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard's policies and gates help you add automated checks to your release process, and its asset discovery helps you find the services that send mail for your domain. The free scan is at https://gold.safeguard.sh/scan.
Quick check
Can the display name include a recipient's name?
Google's guidance says not to, because it can imply a personal message.
Is a tick emoji in the name harmless?
No. Google says not to use emojis next to names to imply verification.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
