A clear, consistent, and trustworthy Sender Name builds recognition and increases open rates. Misleading or overly aggressive names, on the other hand, can confuse recipients or trigger spam filters.
Key Best Practices
Clarity & Recognition
Use a name the recipient will recognize, whether you’re a company, individual, or a mix of both. Examples:
Company: Google Workspace, Mailchimp
Personal: John Smith, John Smith, CEO
Hybrid: John at Google, Google Alerts
Function-based: Billing Department, Act-On Support
Consistency
Stick to the same sender name across campaigns and platforms to build trust and brand recall.
Accuracy
The sender name should truthfully represent the sender. Avoid misleading labels or simulating conversation threads.
Branding
If you're using a brand name, make sure it aligns with your overall identity and tone of voice.
⚙️ Technical & Formatting Rules
Recommended Length:
Optimal: Under 60 characters
Gmail recommends this for proper display across clients, especially on mobile.
Hard Limit: Up to 120 characters in Buzz, but this is not a best practice.
Tip: Keep names under 20 characters when possible to ensure visibility across most devices.
☑️ Allowed Characters:
Standard alphanumeric characters and widely supported symbols. Non-Latin or special characters should only be used if your audience is familiar with them and/or clearly prefers them.
❌ Avoid These:
Prohibited Characters: Uncommon or non-UTF characters that may render incorrectly or look suspicious.
Aggressive Patterns: Repetitive punctuation or symbols like
!!!!,*****,_______These can trigger spam filters or appear unprofessional.
🚫 Content-Based Restrictions
Certain content or patterns in the sender name can reduce deliverability or get flagged by spam filters — especially by Gmail.
Do Not Include:
Urgency/Pitch Words
Examples: “Sale,” “Urgent,” “Free,” “You’ve Won,” “Clearance,” “Discount”
Why? Mimicking subject lines is penalized by Gmail.
2. Reply/Forward Prefixes
Examples: “Re:”, “Fwd:”, “FW:”, “RV:”
Why? Forbidden unless it’s a genuine reply or forward.
3. Placeholders
Examples:
{first_name}Why? Mail providers treat placeholders as a form of deception, so it's best to avoid using them altogether.
4. Reserved System Names
Avoid:
Gmail-sensitive: Abuse, Postmaster
Generally discouraged: Mailer-Daemon, Hostmaster, Noreply (Even in the display name, unless part of a well-known brand)
⚠️ The Risks of Ignoring These Guidelines
If you choose to proceed with actions we do not recommend, you may encounter issues such as:
Your email not being delivered by the provider
Your email being marked as spam
In either case, Buzz cannot be held responsible for failed delivery.
📖 To learn how to customize your sender name, please check out this article: How to Set a Custom Sender Name in Buzz
The most effective sender names are recognizable, concise, consistent, and aligned with your brand and content. Avoid using misleading language, spammy formatting, or trying to trick the user — email clients like Gmail are increasingly strict about enforcing these rules.