Updated on October 25, 2026
The WhatsApp display name is the business name shown on the number’s profile in the WhatsApp Business API and, once Meta approves it, also at the top of chats and in the chat list. It’s required to register the number and must follow Meta’s guidelines: represent the business clearly, have an obvious link to the legal name or brand, and contain no generic terms, “Official”, “Verified”, Meta product names, promotions or website addresses. Rejected names can be edited and resubmitted, or appealed through support.
Where the display name appears
According to Meta’s display name documentation:
- the name is provided when you register the number and appears on the number’s WhatsApp profile;
- it can also appear at the top of chats and in the chat list, but only after it’s approved through display name verification;
- if the user saved or edited the business’s name in their own WhatsApp, the name they set is shown instead.
A display name is not a green badge. The Official Business Account badge is a separate process with its own criteria.
When Meta reviews the name
Display name verification starts automatically when the portfolio moves up to a higher messaging limit, according to the developer documentation. Meta’s Business Help Center also states that once business verification is complete, the display name review starts for every number on the account. So the name is usually reviewed alongside other project steps, such as business verification and messaging limit increases.
When the review ends, Meta sends a Meta Business Suite notification and the phone_number_name_update webhook. The documentation doesn’t give a review timeframe.
Meta’s display name guidelines
The display name guidelines in Meta’s Business Help Center boil down to four principles.
1. Comply with policies
The name can’t violate the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy. A sporting goods store can use “Sarah’s Sporting Goods Shop”, but not a name that highlights a department selling products the commerce policy prohibits.
2. Represent the business clearly
The name must represent a business, or one of its services, products or departments. Test and demo accounts are accepted as long as they stay linked to the business.
| Accepted | Not accepted | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Crust Bakery | Bakery | Generic term |
| Golden Crust Customer Service | New York | Generic geographic location |
| Golden Crust Brooklyn | Golden Crust Official | “Official” and “Verified” suggest an endorsed status |
| Golden Crust | Golden Crust WhatsApp | Can’t reference Meta or its apps (WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram) |
| Golden Crust | Golden Crust – 20% off | No promotional language |
| Golden Crust | goldencrust.com | Not formatted as a website or email |
If the name is a person’s name, the nature of the business must be clear on external sources such as the website. “Dr. Ana Lima Dentistry” tends to work when the website and social profiles show the practice under that name.
3. Have a clear relationship with the legal name
The name must have an obvious relationship with the business’s legal name. When the brand link isn’t obvious, Meta suggests “by [company name]”, such as “Bean Café by Golden Crust”, as long as that link appears on external sources like the company website.
Agencies, distributors and partners using a client’s name need the relationship between the two businesses to be clear on the website. This is a common cause of rejection in projects set up by agencies.
4. Keep branding consistent
The name must match the branding used on the website, in marketing or in the verified legal name. Abbreviations of the brand are accepted (“GC Artisan Breads”), as is adding a city or a department. A name that appears on no external source, or a generic word, won’t pass.
Rejection reasons
The phone_number_name_update webhook includes the decision and, when rejected, the reason:
{
"object": "whatsapp_business_account",
"entry": [{
"id": "WABA_ID",
"time": 1761400000,
"changes": [{
"field": "phone_number_name_update",
"value": {
"display_phone_number": "15551234567",
"decision": "REJECTED",
"requested_verified_name": "Golden Crust Official",
"rejection_reason": "NAME_FORMAT_UNACCEPTABLE"
}
}]
}]
}Possible values, according to the webhook reference:
rejection_reason | What it means | How to fix it |
|---|---|---|
NAME_FORMAT_UNACCEPTABLE | Unacceptable format | Remove generic terms, “Official”, promotions, website or email |
NAME_NOT_CONSISTENT | Doesn’t match the business’s branding | Use the name shown on your website and social profiles, or update the website |
NAME_ENDCLIENT_NOTRELATED | Includes an unrelated business’s name | Show the relationship between the businesses on the website, or use your own name |
NAME_INDIVIDUAL_ISSUE / NAME_EMPLOYEE_ISSUE | Includes a person’s name or an employee identifier | Use the business name; if it’s a personal name, make the business clear |
UNKNOWN | No reason given | Contact support |
The decision field can be APPROVED, REJECTED, PENDING or DEFERRED (decision postponed). A simple handler to record the result:
export function handleDisplayName(change, db) {
if (change.field !== 'phone_number_name_update') return;
const { display_phone_number, decision, requested_verified_name, rejection_reason } = change.value;
db.saveNameStatus(display_phone_number, { name: requested_verified_name, decision, reason: rejection_reason });
if (decision === 'REJECTED') {
db.createAlert(`Name "${requested_verified_name}" rejected: ${rejection_reason ?? 'no reason'}`);
}
}If the name is rejected, Meta recommends reviewing the guidelines and editing the name, or filing an appeal through developer support.
How to check the status via API
In the Graph API, the current name and the review status are the number’s verified_name and name_status fields:
curl "https://graph.facebook.com/v26.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID?fields=verified_name,name_status" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN"{ "verified_name": "Golden Crust", "name_status": "APPROVED", "id": "PHONE_NUMBER_ID" }verified_name is just the submitted text; it doesn’t mean approval. Approval is shown by name_status (a beta field that may not be available to every account), with the values APPROVED, AVAILABLE_WITHOUT_REVIEW, DECLINED, PENDING_REVIEW, EXPIRED or NONE, according to the phone numbers documentation. To generate a production token, see permanent token with a system user.
How to change the display name
In WhatsApp Manager
Go to WhatsApp Manager > Account tools > Phone numbers, pick the number, open the Profile tab and click Edit next to the display name.
Via API
Send the new name in the new_display_name field:
curl -X POST "https://graph.facebook.com/v26.0/PHONE_NUMBER_ID?new_display_name=Golden%20Crust%20Brooklyn" \
-H "Authorization: Bearer TOKEN"Then track the review with the new_display_name and new_name_status fields; the status stays PENDING_REVIEW while Meta evaluates it.
Rules for changes
- Limit: up to 10 changes every 30 days.
- Re-register: after the new name is approved, you must register the number again to apply it on WhatsApp’s servers, with
POST /{PHONE_NUMBER_ID}/registersendingmessaging_productand the two-step verification PIN. Re-registering before approval has no effect. - Deadline: you have 14 days after approval to re-register. After that, the name must go through review again.
- Official Business Account: accounts with the official badge must ask support to change the name.
- No new onboarding: you don’t need to repeat Embedded Signup.
Checklist before submitting the name
- The name matches (or is a clear abbreviation of) the name on your website and social profiles.
- No standalone generic words, no standalone city, no “Official” or “Verified”.
- No mention of WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram or Meta.
- No promotion, slogan, website or email.
- If it’s another company’s brand (agency, distributor), the relationship is on the website.
- If it’s a person’s name, the business is clear on external sources.
Display name with Vectalk
With Vectalk, the display name is set while connecting the number through Meta’s Embedded Signup and reviewed by Meta itself. Through Vectalk’s API you can check the current name with GET /api/phone-numbers?fields=verified_name and re-register the number after an approved change with POST /api/phone-numbers/register, sending the pin. Both use an instance token, which already identifies the number. Details in the phone numbers documentation (in Portuguese).
If you’re just starting, see how to get access to the WhatsApp API and the overview of the WhatsApp Cloud API. Account questions can go to the Help Center.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use the number while the display name is under review?
The number shows the name on its profile, but the name only appears at the top of chats and in the chat list after approval. When you’re changing the name, the old one stays in effect until the new one is approved and the number is re-registered.
How many times can I change the display name?
Up to 10 times every 30 days, according to Meta’s documentation.
Why was my name with “Official” rejected?
The guidelines prohibit terms like “Official” and “Verified” because they suggest a verification status the business may not have.
Is an approved display name the same as the green badge?
No. Approval makes the name appear in chats. The Official Business Account badge is a separate process with its own criteria.
Can an agency use its client’s name?
Yes, as long as the relationship between the agency and the client is clear on the website. Without it, the most common rejection is NAME_ENDCLIENT_NOTRELATED.
Official sources checked on October 25, 2026: Display names, Display name guidelines for the WhatsApp Business Platform, About WhatsApp Business display name, phone_number_name_update webhook, Phone numbers, WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy, Vectalk documentation.