Contact info should have a name entered in the 'Display': Example: First: Joe Last: Bloggs Display: JB select check box 'Always prefer display name over message header. Email: email address click on OK.

This will not use the 'Display' name in the address book Contact Pane list.

This should be altering the Header section in an opened email, so that FROM and TO as appropriate, should display 'JB' with a yellow star.

The FROM column header should also display 'JB' if from Joe Bloggs.

I followed the instructions and still ne luck. Still shows name and email address. Should be easy but still no working. thanks Any other ideas?

It depends on where yo want your display names If it in write either in from or to or in contacts (F9) I still have both. If its in inbox from then its just display name. @Toad-Hall might know if this is the right way to behave?

If you choose the option to use the 'Display' name as per my instructions in previous comment, it will only change:

The Header section in a received and opened email. where FROM and TO as appropriate, should display the display name with a yellow star.

Your list of emails, in any folder: The FROM column header should also display the display name. or if 'Sent' folder, the 'Recipient' column header.

re :I followed the instructions and still ne luck. Still shows name and email address. At this point it is assumed that you are talking about either the headers in an opened email or the column header FROM field because you selected the options 'Always prefer display name over message header'. As per my first comment.

So if you are talking about when you are composing an email using the 'Write' window, then it will show both name and email address in a FROM or TO field, because you have to have an email address in order to send emails; the name itself is superfluous which can be added to improve readability.

It does not use the 'display' name in the Address Book nor in the 'Contacts Sidebar'.

Many people have more than one email address, if you assign only a display name in Address Book or Contacts sidebar or Write window, there is no way of knowing which email address has been selected and the server has to know the email address in order to send.

That's why it is ok to only have display name showing in received email or in the emails already sent showing in the Sent folder.

So, Still shows name and email address.....where are you looking when you see this? List of incoming emails in the 'FRom ' column header in Inbox folder ? In the header of an opened email ? In the address book? In a new Write / Reply window ? In the Contacts Sidebar ? etc.

In a new write / reply window. So when I want to send an email I click on 'write' and my address listing is shown. When I click on a name (whom I want to send the email to). The name and email address appears in the TO: of the email I am send it to. I would just like the name (no email address to appear. thank you

re :In a new write / reply window.

This has been made very clear in my previous comments that it will not just display a name in a Write window because it is the email address that is required, not the name.

You can enter an email address without a name or you can send name with email address, but sending always requires an email address.

Thank you.

It never required an email address in the past. I will live with your answer.

thank you

You've probably used Microsoft email programs in the past. In this respect, and some others, they lie. They may show you just the friendly name, display name or Nickname when you compose a message, but the real message as sent must declare the addressees' email addresses, but they mislead you into thinking otherwise. If you wrote "Jim" on an envelope and dropped it into a mailbox, you wouldn't really expect the mail service to be able to deliver it, would you?

Thunderbird is more honest; since it will send using an email address, it shows you exactly what will be revealed to the recipients.

I have a similar problem. I receive an email from a friend that shows in my message list From column as "abc" but in my address book entry for this person (same email address as the From field in the message) I have Display specified as "xyz". I have also checked "Always prefer display name over message header" in the Address Book entry. Why isn't this option working?

You should check Tools/options/display / display section / Show only ....... for it to work. Without it the senders preferred display name is shown.

EDIT Sorry didn't realize you tried that.

Hi dlreich

Select the email showing incorrect 'abc' for email address, so it displays in the Message Pane. In the headers, the 'FROM' header will say 'abc'. Q: Does it have a yellow star ? If yes: left click on 'abc' and select 'Edit Contact' Q: What address book is auto shown containing this email address/contact? Click on 'Edit Details' to show the 'Edit contact' window. Q: Is the 'Display' field empty? Q: Is the 'Always prefer display name over message header selected' ?

Check to see how many instances of that email address are in your various address books, including 'Collected Addresses'.

Thanks, Gnospen, for the correct answer. That display option had not been checked. Toad-Hall: thanks also for your advice. The yelow star was showing, the entry was only in my Personal Address Book, and the Display field contained the appropriate display name so all the items you mentioned were properly set. What was missing was the selection in Display referenced by Gnospen.

Thanks again for the quick responses.