Summary
The custom 'From Name' in emails may display as the sending domain primarily due to how email authentication protocols and security measures implemented by receiving mail servers and clients interact. A critical cause is the failure or misalignment of authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and DMARC. When these protocols do not validate or align the 'From' header domain with the authenticated sending domain, mail clients often prioritize security. They replace the custom name with the actual sending domain or add tags such as 'via' or 'on behalf of' to alert recipients to the email's true origin and prevent spoofing. Other contributing factors include sender reputation issues, particularly for new or untrusted senders, the use of generic 'From' names, and specific mail client configurations that override friendly names or remember previously seen names.
Key findings
- Authentication & Alignment Issues: The most common reason for the 'From Name' displaying as the sending domain is the failure or misalignment of email authentication protocols, including SPF, DKIM, and especially DMARC. When these protocols don't validate, clients default to displaying the actual sending domain.
- DMARC Policy Enforcement: Strict DMARC policies, particularly those set to 'quarantine' or 'reject', directly influence how receiving servers display sender information when authentication or alignment fails, often forcing the display of the authenticated domain.
- Security and Anti-Phishing Measures: Email clients and mail servers intentionally alter the 'From Name' display, using 'via', 'on behalf of', or the raw domain, as a security measure to combat phishing and clearly indicate the email's true origin to recipients.
- Sender Reputation's Role: A sender's reputation, particularly for new domains or those using generic names, significantly impacts whether the custom 'From Name' is displayed or overridden. Low trust can lead to the domain being shown instead.
- Mail Client Specific Behavior: Different Mail User Agents (MUAs) or specific client configurations, such as those found in Outlook365, can also influence whether the friendly 'From Name' is shown or if the envelope address is preferred, sometimes even recalling a previously seen friendly name.
Key considerations
- Implement Robust Authentication: Ensure SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records are correctly set up and aligned for your sending domains. This is crucial for verifying sender identity and preventing the 'From Name' from being overridden.
- Monitor DMARC Reports: Regularly analyze DMARC reports to identify any authentication or alignment failures that could be impacting how your 'From Name' is displayed by receiving servers.
- Build Sender Reputation: Cultivate a strong sender reputation through consistent, legitimate sending practices. Avoid generic or untrusted 'From' names like 'Demo' or 'Info' to enhance trust with email providers.
- Test Across Email Clients: Verify how your 'From Name' appears in a variety of popular email clients, such as Gmail, Outlook, and others, as display behaviors can differ significantly.
- Inspect Raw Headers: For troubleshooting, examine the raw 'From:' header of affected emails. This helps confirm the intended custom name is present and properly formatted before the message is processed by the recipient's mail client.
What email marketers say
15 marketer opinions
The appearance of an email's sending domain instead of the desired custom 'From Name' is a common issue influenced by several factors, predominantly stringent email authentication protocols and how various mail clients interpret them. Central to this phenomenon is the accurate implementation and alignment of email authentication standards such as SPF, DKIM, and critically, DMARC. When these protocols are not correctly configured or fail to align the 'From' header domain with the authenticated sending source, receiving mail servers and email clients prioritize recipient safety. They will frequently display the actual sending domain or append clarifying tags, such as 'via' or 'on behalf of,' to provide transparency about the email's true origin and to safeguard against phishing and spoofing attempts. Other contributing factors include specific mail client configurations that may prefer the envelope address or display the domain for new sending domains, and the general behavior of Mail User Agents (MUAs).
Key opinions
- Authentication & Alignment Failures: The primary cause involves the failure or improper alignment of email authentication protocols like SPF, DKIM, and particularly DMARC, leading clients to prioritize the display of the authenticated sending domain.
- DMARC Policy Impact: DMARC policies, especially those set to 'quarantine' or 'reject', actively prompt receiving mail servers to override the custom name and display the authenticated domain when alignment or authentication fails.
- Security Transparency: A core motivation for overriding the custom 'From Name' with the sending domain or adding 'via' and 'on behalf of' tags is to enhance security, providing recipients clear visibility into the email's true source and preventing spoofing.
- Mail Client Specifics: Mail User Agent (MUA) behaviors, including specific client configurations like those in Outlook365, can dictate whether a friendly 'From Name' is displayed or if the envelope address is preferred, sometimes even recalling previously encountered names.
- Third-Party Sending Nuances: When utilizing third-party Email Service Providers (ESPs), an unauthenticated sending domain, particularly a lack of proper DKIM setup, often results in the ESP's domain being displayed (e.g., 'via constantcontact.com' or 'on behalf of SendGrid').
Key considerations
- Ensure Full Domain Authentication: Establish and meticulously maintain SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for all sending domains, as precise configuration and alignment are essential for validating sender identity and ensuring the accurate display of your 'From Name'.
- Monitor DMARC Reporting: Consistently monitor DMARC reports to detect and rectify any authentication or alignment discrepancies that might be causing your custom 'From Name' to be supplanted by the sending domain.
- Test Across Diverse Clients: Conduct thorough testing across a range of popular email clients and platforms to ascertain how your 'From Name' renders, given that display behavior can vary considerably.
- Inspect Raw Email Headers: When diagnosing display issues, always scrutinize the raw 'From:' header of the email to verify that your custom name is correctly formatted and present before the message reaches the recipient's inbox.
- Understand New Domain Behavior: Be prepared for initial 'From Name' display inconsistencies with new sending domains; sometimes, the custom name may only appear after the first few interactions as sender reputation is established with receiving servers.
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks explains that the From: header details or Mail User Agent (MUA) behavior, where some MUAs might use a previously seen friendly name, can cause the From Name to not display. He recommends checking the raw From: header for troubleshooting.
29 Dec 2022 - Email Geeks
Marketer view
Email marketer from Email Geeks shares that for new domains, the From Name might not display initially but could appear on subsequent emails after the first interaction.
18 Sep 2021 - Email Geeks
What the experts say
2 expert opinions
The custom 'From Name' in an email may be replaced by the sending domain due to a combination of factors, primarily email authentication failures and sender reputation. When critical protocols such as DMARC do not validate or align the stated 'From Name' with the authenticated sending domain, email clients often interpret this as a potential spoofing attempt. In such cases, they prioritize security and transparency by displaying the actual sending domain to inform the recipient of the email's true origin. Additionally, a sender's reputation plays a significant role; if a sender is new, lacks trust, or uses generic 'From Names' like 'Support' or 'Info,' receiving mail servers, notably Google, may override the custom name, further indicating a lack of established legitimacy.
Key opinions
- Reputation Impact: The custom 'From Name' often fails to display, particularly with providers like Google, when the sender is not trusted, is new, or has a low reputation.
- Generic Name Usage: Using generic 'From Names' such as 'Demo,' 'Support,' or 'info' can lead to the display of the sending domain due to a lack of perceived trustworthiness.
- DMARC Authentication Failure: Email clients frequently display the sending domain when DMARC authentication fails or indicates that the custom 'From Name' may not be legitimate for the sending domain.
- Spoofing Concerns: The actual sending domain is shown to recipients to inform them of the email's true origin and prevent potential impersonation, especially when there is suspicion of spoofing.
Key considerations
- Build Sender Trust: Cultivate a strong sender reputation, particularly for new sending domains, as a lack of trust can lead to the 'From Name' being replaced by the sending domain.
- Avoid Generic Names: Refrain from using generic 'From Names' like 'Demo,' 'Support,' or 'info,' as these can signal a lack of legitimacy to email providers.
- Ensure DMARC Alignment: Meticulously configure and align your DMARC records to prevent authentication failures that prompt email clients to display the sending domain instead of your custom name.
- Prevent Spoofing: Strengthen your email authentication to minimize the suspicion of spoofing, which is a key reason clients may display the true sending domain to recipients.
Expert view
Expert from Email Geeks explains that the From Name not showing is often a reputation issue, particularly with Google, when the sender is not trusted, is new, or uses generic names like 'Demo,' 'Support,' or 'info.'
24 Feb 2025 - Email Geeks
Expert view
Expert from Word to the Wise explains that email clients may display the sending domain instead of the custom From Name, particularly when DMARC authentication fails or when there is suspicion of spoofing. This occurs when the email's authentication, such as DMARC, indicates that the stated From Name might not be legitimate for the sending domain, prompting the client to show the actual domain to inform the recipient of the email's true origin or potential impersonation.
1 Feb 2025 - Word to the Wise
What the documentation says
3 technical articles
Email providers like Microsoft and Google, alongside platforms such as Mailchimp, frequently alter how an email's 'From Name' is displayed, opting instead for the sending domain or adding qualifiers like 'via' or 'on behalf of.' This behavior is a direct result of their sophisticated anti-phishing and spoofing intelligence systems. When an email's 'From' address fails to align with its authenticated sending domain, even if SPF or DKIM records exist, or if overall authentication (including DMARC) is deemed insufficient, these systems prioritize recipient safety by clearly showing the true origin. This proactive measure informs users of potential discrepancies between the claimed sender identity and its verified source, thereby mitigating phishing risks and ensuring transparency.
Key findings
- Provider Display Modifications: Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace's anti-phishing systems actively alter the 'From Name' to display the actual sending domain, or add 'via' and 'on behalf of' notifications, when an email is deemed suspicious or unauthenticated to prevent spoofing.
- Authentication Alignment Criticality: Gmail's and other clients' checks for SPF, DKIM, and DMARC require the 'From' address domain to perfectly align with the authenticated domain; a misalignment often results in the display of the sending domain.
- Security Overrides Custom Name: The primary purpose of overriding a custom 'From Name' with the sending domain is to enhance security by transparently showing the email's true origin, protecting recipients from phishing and identity deception.
- Client-Side Authentication Interpretation: Email clients may incorrectly interpret or fail to recognize authentication, such as SPF and DKIM, leading them to default to displaying the sending domain rather than the intended custom 'From Name'.
Key considerations
- Implement Full Authentication: Ensure comprehensive and accurate setup of SPF, DKIM, and DMARC records for your sending domain, as robust authentication is fundamental for the custom 'From Name' to display as intended.
- Confirm Domain Alignment: Regularly verify that the 'From' address domain perfectly aligns with the domain used for email authentication, as misalignment can trigger security displays from providers like Google.
- Acknowledge Phishing Controls: Recognize that the display of your sending domain is often a deliberate anti-phishing measure by major providers, emphasizing the need to meet their stringent security requirements.
- Adhere to ESP Guidelines: Follow your Email Service Provider's (ESP) specific recommendations for domain authentication and 'From Name' best practices, as their guidance is designed to maximize deliverability and proper display.
Technical article
Documentation from Microsoft Learn explains that Microsoft 365's anti-phishing policies, particularly spoofing intelligence, can modify how sender names are displayed. If an email's sender is deemed suspicious or unauthenticated, the "From" name might be altered to show the actual sending domain, "via" a different domain, or "on behalf of" another sender to alert recipients to potential spoofing. This mechanism helps protect users from phishing by clearly indicating when a sender's claimed identity doesn't align with its authentication.
5 Jul 2023 - learn.microsoft.com
Technical article
Documentation from Google Workspace Admin Help explains that Gmail checks SPF, DKIM, and DMARC to authenticate incoming mail. Even if an email passes SPF or DKIM, if the "From" address's domain doesn't align perfectly with the authenticated domain, Gmail users might see "on behalf of" or "via" headers, indicating the message's true origin and preventing potential spoofing by clearly showing the actual sending domain or service.
15 Apr 2025 - support.google.com
How does changing the From Name impact email deliverability when sending on behalf of clients?
Why do email replies go to the From address instead of Reply-To?
Why does Gmail sometimes show the 5322.from email address instead of the From name?
Why is Gmail not displaying the friendly from name in some emails?
Why is the From Email Address showing instead of From Name in SFMC?
Will changing the 'From' display name affect email deliverability?
