Display Names

Overview

The display name is the business name shown to users in WhatsApp surfaces for your business number. It is reviewed by Meta and must follow naming policy before it is fully approved.

• Display name and phone_number_id are different things.
• A number can be technically connected while its display name is still under review.

Where to Manage Display Names

Use Meta WhatsApp Manager for display-name submissions and updates:

1. Open WhatsApp Manager.
2. Go to Phone numbers.
3. Select the number.
4. Open the profile/display-name settings.
5. Submit a new display name or edit an existing one.

Display Name Statuses

Typical lifecycle:

• PENDING_REVIEW — submitted and waiting for Meta review.
• APPROVED — accepted and active.
• REJECTED / DECLINED — not accepted; update and resubmit.
• NON_EXISTS — no submitted display-name review record is available yet.

You can monitor relevant management events and logs in Dualhook. Source-of-truth review decisions still come from Meta.

Naming Rules

Use a name that clearly identifies your real business. Recommended checklist before submitting:

• Match your legal or commonly used brand identity.
• Keep formatting natural — no spammy capitalization, symbols, or decorative text.
• Avoid generic names that do not identify a specific business.
• Ensure your public web presence (domain, site, social pages) supports the same brand name.
• If operating under a sub-brand, make the relationship to the parent business clear.

How Often You Can Change

After a number is registered, display-name changes are limited to one change every 30 days per number. If Meta updates this policy for your account, follow the latest rule shown in WhatsApp Manager.

Why Display Names Get Rejected

Common rejection patterns:

• Name does not match business identity evidence.
• Name is overly generic or misleading.
• Name includes disallowed formatting or promotional styling.
• Supporting business information is incomplete or inconsistent.

Troubleshooting

Status stays pending for too long

• Verify business information is complete in your Meta Business Portfolio.
• Confirm the submitted name matches your public-facing brand assets.
• Avoid repeated edits while a review is still in progress.

Name approved but not visible everywhere

• Client-side propagation can take time across regions and devices.
• Recheck after a propagation delay and verify you are viewing the correct number/account.

NON_EXISTS appears

• No valid display-name submission is currently attached to that number.
• Reopen the number profile in WhatsApp Manager and submit the display name again.