Does changing the From Name directly affect spam filters?

No, changing only the From Name (the display name) does not directly trigger spam filters. Mailbox providers focus on the From Address domain and its authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC) for technical filtering decisions.

Why is recipient recognition important for deliverability?

Recipient recognition is crucial because it influences how users interact with your emails. A familiar From Name increases open rates and positive engagement. If recipients don't recognize the sender, they are more likely to ignore, delete, or mark the email as spam, which negatively impacts your sender reputation.

What is the difference between From Name and From Address in terms of impact?

The From Name is the display name seen by recipients and primarily affects user perception and engagement. The From Address (the email address and domain) is the technical identifier for authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC, directly impacting whether an email is technically allowed to be delivered.

Should I test a new From Name before widespread use?

Yes, absolutely. Always test a new From Name on a small segment of your audience first. Monitor key metrics such as open rates, click-through rates, and especially spam complaints and unsubscribes to gauge its impact before a full rollout.

Can using a client's name in the From Name increase open rates?

Yes, using a client's name can often increase open rates, particularly if their brand is more recognizable and trusted by the recipients than your agency's. This leverages their existing brand equity to encourage engagement.

How does changing the From Name impact email deliverability when sending on behalf of clients? - Sender reputation - Email deliverability - Knowledge base

When you're sending emails on behalf of clients, a common request I hear is to change the From Name to reflect their brand rather than your own sending entity. This seems like a straightforward branding decision, but it often raises questions about its impact on email deliverability. After all, you want those emails to land in the inbox, not the spam folder.

The short answer is that changing only the From Name itself typically has a minimal direct technical impact on whether an email is filtered as spam. Mailbox providers (like Gmail or

Yahoo) primarily rely on authentication protocols and sender reputation tied to the sending domain, not just the display name. However, the indirect impact on recipient behavior and, consequently, your sender reputation, can be significant. Let's dive into the nuances.

The 'From' name and user perception

When we talk about the From Name, we're referring to the display name that appears in the recipient's inbox, like "Client Company Name". This is distinct from the From Address (the actual email address, e.g., you@yourdomain.com), which includes the domain used for authentication. The From Name plays a crucial role in building trust and recognition with your recipients. If they don't immediately recognize who sent the email, they might hesitate to open it or, worse, mark it as spam.

When sending on behalf of clients, using their name in the From field can indeed boost open rates, especially if their brand is more recognizable than your agency's. Recipients are more likely to engage with an email from a trusted or familiar source. This is a common practice in affiliate marketing, where the sender's goal is to leverage a recognized brand to encourage engagement. However, this strategy requires careful consideration.

While the From Name itself isn't a direct filtering factor, user perception is. If recipients expect emails from Your Agency and suddenly see Client Company Name, it could lead to confusion, increased spam complaints, or unsubscribes, all of which negatively impact your sender reputation. A high volume of spam complaints can trigger blocklisting (or blacklisting) of your sending domain and IP, severely impacting deliverability across the board.

Considering the From Name

While using a client's From Name can potentially increase initial open rates due to brand recognition, the primary concern remains how recipients react to the email. Unsolicited or unexpected changes, even if well-intentioned, can erode trust and signal suspicious activity to recipients, leading to negative engagement. This indirectly impacts your deliverability by signaling to mailbox providers that your emails are not desired by recipients. You can learn more about how your from address affects email deliverability.

Technical considerations for deliverability

From a technical standpoint, the email ecosystem primarily relies on the domain in your From Address (also known as the Header From) for authentication checks such as SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. These protocols verify that you are authorized to send email from the specified domain. If these checks pass, the email has a much higher chance of being delivered. The From Name (the display name part) is largely ignored by these technical authentication mechanisms.

However, it's crucial to understand how email services like

Google and

Microsoft (Outlook/Hotmail) view alignment. Modern email authentication, particularly DMARC, requires that the domain used for SPF and DKIM authentication align with the domain in your Header From address. If you're sending from your agency's domain but trying to make it appear as if the email originated directly from your client's domain by putting their email address in the From Address, this will lead to authentication failures unless you have properly configured SPF and DKIM for their domain on your sending infrastructure. The From Name itself doesn't cause this issue, but using a client's name might suggest you are trying to impersonate their domain, which could raise red flags if not properly authenticated. Microsoft, for example, requires validation of both SPF and DKIM.

A common scenario for agencies is to send with your own domain (e.g., client@youragency.com) but use the client's name in the From Name. This setup avoids direct authentication issues because your agency's domain is properly authenticated. The key then becomes managing recipient expectations and preventing negative feedback. Understanding how sender names and addresses impact deliverability is crucial here.

Aspect	From Name (Display Name)	From Address (Email Address & Domain)
Primary purpose	Recipient recognition and trust; branding.	Technical sending identity; basis for authentication.
Direct deliverability impact	Minimal direct impact on spam filters.	Major direct impact, essential for authentication (SPF, DKIM, DMARC).
Indirect deliverability impact	Significant indirect impact via recipient engagement (open rates, spam complaints).	Indirect impact via domain reputation derived from consistent good sending practices.
Compliance concerns	Less strict, but can mislead if not clearly representing sender.	High compliance requirements, especially for DMARC and sender alignment.

Recipient behavior and sender reputation

The psychological aspect of the From Name is where its true impact on deliverability lies. Mailbox providers heavily monitor recipient engagement with your emails. If recipients open, click, and reply to your messages, it signals positive engagement, boosting your sender reputation. Conversely, if they ignore, delete without opening, or mark your emails as spam, it sends negative signals that can lower your reputation, regardless of your technical setup.

When you use a client's From Name, consider whether the recipients are accustomed to receiving emails from that specific client. If the From Name matches their expectation, engagement is likely to be high. However, if the client's name is unfamiliar or unexpected in that context, recipients might perceive it as phishing or an unsolicited email, leading to lower engagement and higher spam complaint rates. This can land your emails in the spam folder, even with perfect authentication. To understand more about this, you can look into email sender name best practices.

Another aspect is the Sender header. When you send on behalf of a client, some email systems might automatically add an "on behalf of" tag or display your agency's domain next to the client's From Name. For instance, it might show as "Client Company Name <you@youragency.com> on behalf of Your Agency". This clarifies the sender for the recipient and can actually help maintain trust, as it's transparent. However, if this visual cue is confusing or unexpected, it can still lead to negative reactions. This is why the sender name impacts email deliverability and branding.

Positive user perception scenario

Your agency sends a monthly newsletter for Client A. Recipients are familiar with Client A and expect communications from them. Changing the From Name to "Client A" while using your agency's sending domain (client-updates@youragency.com) makes the email instantly recognizable. This leads to high open rates and positive engagement, which in turn boosts your sender reputation.

Negative user perception scenario

Your agency sends transactional emails for Client B, but recipients primarily know Client B through their website, not direct email campaigns. Suddenly, an email arrives from "Client B" but the From Address is from support@youragency.com. This discrepancy and the unexpected name could cause confusion, leading to recipients marking the email as spam or deleting it, harming your sender reputation and impacting your ability to reach the inbox for all clients.

Testing and best practices

Given the potential impact on recipient behavior, always test any changes to your From Name before a full rollout. Start with a small segment of your audience or a pilot group and monitor key metrics. Pay close attention to open rates, click-through rates, and, most importantly, spam complaint rates and unsubscribe rates. These metrics are direct indicators of how your audience perceives the change and whether it's affecting your sender reputation positively or negatively. Monitoring your blocklist monitoring is also important.

Clear communication with your clients and their audience is key. If you're changing the From Name, consider a brief heads-up in previous emails or on the client's website, informing subscribers of the upcoming change. This proactive approach can mitigate confusion and maintain trust. Ultimately, the goal is to enhance recognition without compromising your long-term email deliverability. To run an effective test, check out this guide on how to run an email deliverability test.

Best practices for changing from names

Test gradually: Implement changes on a small segment of your audience first, monitor results, and then scale up. This allows you to catch any negative impacts early.
Maintain domain consistency: Ensure your sending domain (the actual email address after the @) remains consistent and properly authenticated, regardless of the From Name. Always align your authentication records with your sending domain.
Educate recipients: If the From Name changes significantly, inform your audience beforehand to manage expectations and prevent confusion. A clear statement in a prior email or on a landing page can help.
Monitor engagement metrics: Closely track open rates, click-through rates, unsubscribe rates, and spam complaints after the change. These metrics reveal how recipients perceive your emails and are critical for your sender reputation.

Views from the trenches

Best practices

Always ensure your underlying sending domain is properly authenticated with SPF, DKIM, and DMARC.

If sending on behalf of clients, consider a hybrid From Name that includes both your client’s name and your agency’s name for clarity.

Communicate any significant From Name changes to your audience in advance to prevent confusion and maintain trust.

Monitor key email engagement metrics closely, especially spam complaint rates and unsubscribe rates, after any From Name adjustments.

Common pitfalls

Changing the From Name too frequently can confuse recipients and negatively impact recognition and engagement.

Using a client’s email address in the From Name instead of just their brand name can lead to authentication failures.

Failing to inform recipients about a From Name change can result in higher spam complaints due to perceived unfamiliarity.

Not aligning the From Name with consistent branding messages across other client communication channels.

Expert tips

Use a tool to check your email deliverability score and inbox placement before and after any From Name changes to quantify the impact.

Segment your audience for initial testing of new From Names to minimize potential negative effects on your overall sender reputation.

Leverage BIMI (Brand Indicators for Message Identification) to visually reinforce your client's brand alongside a trusted From Name, once DMARC is at enforcement.

Consider a dedicated IP address for high-volume client sends to isolate reputation and allow for more controlled From Name testing.

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says the comment in the email address, which is the part in double quotes (the From Name), is not typically used heavily in filtering directly.

2022-10-04 - Email Geeks

Expert view

Expert from Email Geeks says putting a client's actual email address in the From Name (comment field) can lead to problems, but just their name is usually fine.

2022-10-04 - Email Geeks

Final thoughts on sender identity

Changing the From Name when sending on behalf of clients is a strategic decision that primarily impacts email deliverability through recipient behavior and your overall sender reputation. While the display name itself doesn't directly trigger spam filters, its ability to foster trust and recognition, or conversely, cause confusion and complaints, is paramount.

Always ensure your underlying sending domain is properly authenticated and aligned with email standards. Prioritize transparency with your recipients, and always test changes in a controlled manner. By carefully balancing branding needs with deliverability best practices, you can effectively send emails on behalf of your clients while maintaining a strong sender reputation and ensuring your messages consistently reach the inbox.