How to Change Author Name in WordPress

WordPress assigns an author name to each post, which appears publicly. Sometimes, you may need to change the author name due to rebranding, team changes, or privacy concerns. Thankfully, WordPress provides multiple ways to update the author name easily.

In this guide, we’ll cover various methods to change the author name in WordPress, ranging from simple profile edits to advanced database modifications. Let’s dive in!

Methods to Change Author Name in WordPress

Change the Display Name in the User Profile

This is the easiest method to change the author’s name without affecting the username or login credentials.

Steps to Change the Display Name:

1. Log in to WordPress Dashboard
2. Navigate to Users > Your Profile
3. Locate the Nickname field and enter the new name
4. In the Display name publicly as dropdown, select the new name
5. Click Update Profile

Now, your new author name will be displayed on all posts associated with that user.

Change Author for Individual Posts

If you want to assign a specific post to a different author, follow these steps:

Using the Classic Editor:

1. Open the post you want to edit
2. Find the Author dropdown in the right sidebar
3. Select the new author
4. Click Update to save changes

By using the Block Editor (Gutenberg):

1. Open the post in the Block Editor
2. Click on the Post settings on the right panel
3. Scroll to the Author section
4. Select a different author
5. Click Update

Using Quick Edit:

1. Go to Posts > All Posts
2. Hover over a post and click Quick Edit
3. Change the Author dropdown
4. Click Update

Create a New User and Transfer Posts

If you need to change the author permanently, creating a new user is a good option.

1. Navigate to Users > Add New
2. Fill in details (username, email, role as Author or Administrator)
3. Click Add New User
4. Go to Tools > Import and transfer posts to the new user

Use a Plugin to Change Author Name

Several plugins allow for easy author modifications.

Best Plugins for Changing Author Names:

• Simple Author Box
• WP Author Box Lite
• Edit Author Slug

How to Use a Plugin:

1. Install and activate the plugin
2. Navigate to the plugin settings
3. Update author details and apply changes

Change Author Name via phpMyAdmin (Advanced Users)

If other methods don’t work, you can update the author name directly from the WordPress database.

1. Access phpMyAdmin from your web hosting control panel
2. Select your WordPress database
3. Open the wp_users table
4. Find the author’s row and update the display_name field
5. Save the changes

⚠ Caution: Always backup your database before making changes!

Best Practices for Managing Author Names

• Ensure consistency in naming for branding
• Assign appropriate roles to prevent unauthorized changes
• Use secure usernames to enhance security

Conclusion

Changing the author name in WordPress is simple and can be done in multiple ways. If you need a quick change, update the display name, transferring authorship, create a new user. If handling bulk changes, use a plugin.

Choose the method that best suits your needs, and keep your WordPress site organized and professional.

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