How to Update Your Name (Lived or Legal) or Pronouns
Instructions for changing your Lived Name (preferred name), Legal Name, or pronouns in UC Berkeley systems are dependent on your campus affiliation. Please follow the guidance below.
1. General Instructions: Students, Employees, Affiliates, and Alumni
Instructions for managing your name and data are managed through the campus Gender Recognition and Lived Name (GRLN) resource:
Managing Your Name and Data (GRLN Resource)
Note for Student Workers: Some individuals may need to complete more than one step to update a lived name or pronouns across all systems. For example, a student worker will need to update their name in both CalCentral and UCPath to ensure consistency across academic and employment records.
2. How do I change my display name in Berkeley email (bMail)?
The display name in bMail is driven by your Lived Name in the campus identity system. To change how your name appears when you send emails, you must first update your Lived Name in UCPath (for employees) or CalCentral (for students).
Once updated in those systems, the change will automatically synchronize to your email account. Refer to the link in Section 1 for instructions on updating your system of record.
3. Sponsored Guests
Guests cannot change the name on an existing account directly. The process depends on which login method you use.
To change your name on a Guest account using Gmail/Google login:
- Reach out to your sponsor and ask them to delete your current Sponsored Guest account.
- Update your name within your personal Gmail/Google account settings. Google provides instructions here.
- Ask your sponsor to send you a new Sponsored Guest account invitation.
To change your name on a Guest account using "Other" login:
- Reach out to your sponsor and ask them to delete your current Sponsored Guest account and send you a new invitation.
- When filling out the new account registration form, enter your name exactly as you would like it to display.
4. Lived Name Technical FAQs (For Developers)
How is the Lived Name made available to UC Berkeley applications?
The UCPath/CalCentral preferred name is pulled into the Berkeley Identity Management System and written to the name fields in downstream systems as they are today. Specifically, Active Directory and CalNet LDAP reflect the preferred name for staff, faculty, and affiliates.
Technologist Note: Applications should continue using the displayName field for the full preferred name, and givenName and sn for the first and last name fields, respectively.
What happens if I do not add a preferred name to UCPath?
If a preferred name is not set, the UCPath legal name is automatically copied into the preferred name field. This legal name is then sent to campus systems to be displayed as the preferred name.
If my application requires the legal name, how do I request that?
Applications requiring full access to legal names must contact API Central. Developers are required to request legal name access as a separate, justified process: API Central Services.
Will legal names be available in LDAP or Active Directory?
No. Specific fields for legal names are not available in these systems. Legal name is not currently available in LDAP and is not made available through the Lived Name infrastructure.
Will the preferred name include middle initials, honorifics, or salutations?
- Middle Initials: Yes. By default, systems copy middle initials (or full middle names) from the legal name into the preferred name (
displayName) unless an individual sets a custom preferred name. - Honorifics: No, unless the honorific is manually typed as part of the First or Last name fields in UCPath.
- Salutations/Generationals: These are not currently supported in the preferred name sync to LDAP or Active Directory.
How long does it take for systems to see my updated name?
It can take up to 48 hours for all downstream systems to reflect a name change made in UCPath or CalCentral.
5. Additional Support
For more questions regarding the campus-wide name policy, visit the Gender Recognition and Lived Name FAQ.