On the older versions of Windows Live Messenger, you get to see a lot of interesting fancy names on your contact list. However logging in to the latest Windows Live Messenger 2011 today shows a lot of “real” names on the contact list rather than nick names. If you haven’t noticed, you can no longer find an option to change your display name as you want others to see it on Windows Live Messenger 2011. That is because the developing team has decided to remove it and make it to show your first name and last name that is set on your Hotmail or Live ID profile. To me, Windows Live Messenger is used for chatting with friends or probably with people that you are not so familiar with and there is no reason for them to know both my first and last name so that they can “Google” me.

I read somewhere on the Internet that it is possible to change your display name in online messengers. I spent hours testing the possibility of changing the display name with Meebo, eBuddy, ILoveIM and they are able to do that but somehow connecting back to Windows Live Messenger 2011 will revert the display name to show your first name and last name. I can only think of 4 options to prevent your real first name and last name from displaying on Windows Live Messenger 2011.


The first method is if you would like to continue using Windows Live Messenger 2011. Sign in to Windows Live Messenger 2011, click on your display name, select “Edit your name” which will open the default web browser asking you to log in to your Windows Live ID and then you get to can change your first name and last name. Do note that changing that would make all outgoing emails to reflect the changed name.

The second method is to downgrade and use Windows Live Messenger 2009. I have written a tutorial on how to do that.

As for the third method, use only online messengers such as Meebo, eBuddy or ILoveIM.

As for the final method, use a Windows Live Messenger clone called aMSN.

I’ve also tested A-Patch, Messenger Plus! and MessengerDiscovery but none of them is able to change the Display Name at Windows Live Messenger 2011.