Display Name and Pronouns in University online systems: Background and FAQ

Allow at least 24 hours, and up to 72 hours, to see your information changed in the relevant systems.

Yes. To change your display name:

1. Log into https://nuvalidate.northwestern.edu with your NetID.
2. Click "Edit Online Directory Information."
3. Enter your information into the Name fields (your display name or your legal/primary name), then "Submit."

Please note: The first and last name fields are required at all times and cannot be left empty or deleted; however, you may replace your display name with an updated display name, or legal/primary name, if you wish.

• For technology-related issues, contact the Northwestern IT Service Desk at consultant@northwestern.edu or 847-491-4357 (1-HELP).
• Visit the Knowledge Base for more information on Changing the display name on your @northwestern.edu (Exchange/Microsoft 365 account, Changing your email alias for your @northwestern.edu (Microsoft 365) account, or Students and @u email owners: Managing your @u.northwestern.edu (or other G Suite) display name, alias and grad year.
• For more specific assistance, please contact any of the following people:
  • Jaci Casazza (Office of the Registrar) - jcasazza@northwestern.edu
  • Julie Phelan (Human Resources) - j-phelan@northwestern.edu
  • Michelle Manno (Office of Community Enrichment) - apce@northwestern.edu
  • Sarah Brown (Women's Center) - brown@northwestern.edu
  • Leona Quist (Office of Community Enrichment) - leona.quist@northwestern.edu

If you're getting an error message or having trouble logging in, try clearing your browser cache and cookies. If that doesn't work, contact the IT help desk:

• Phone: 847-491-4357 (1-HELP)
• Email: consultant@northwestern.edu

Many people use a name that is different than their legal name (e.g., preferred name, nickname, professional name). A display name is designed to allow people to choose which name they would like to be displayed throughout Northwestern university systems. For example, William Wildcat (legal name); Willie Wildcat (display name).

No, it is not required to provide a display name. University systems will share your primary name from CAESAR or your legal name from myHR if you do not enter a display name.

• Legal name is typically your name given at birth and recorded on your birth certificate or the name used to identify you for legal, human resource or official purposes.
• Display name is your name as you would like it to appear in university systems (if different from your legal name). Members of the Northwestern community are encouraged to use display name during interactions with each other. In some Northwestern systems, display name is currently referred to as "preferred" name.
• Professional name is your name as you would like to use it for professional purposes (e.g., publishing). Many staff already use the professional name field. The display name field has replaced the professional name field.

Updating your information in NUValidate replaces the former editing methods that were in CAESAR and myHR. For those who already have professional (HR) or preferred (CAESAR) names, those were migrated to the new system

You will be able to update your first, middle and last name to a new display name. If you choose to enter a display name, you must provide both the first name and last name fields; middle name is optional. Only the English alphabet may be used; if your name contains diacritical marks (such as accents, umlauts or tildes), please enter the English character equivalent only so that your name flows to all University systems without error. 

Because all hiring and payments* in myHR must take place using legal name, due to benefits processing and federal and state tax reporting, your legal name will remain viewable in myHR to authorized school and unit payroll staff, as well as to central Human Resources staff.

Although the legal name field will remain available, your display name is now the default name appearing on the majority of myHR pages. Staff with myHR access should use display name for all interactions with community members.

*Payments processed via myHR include staff and faculty pay; graduate student and undergraduate scholarships; and student, work-study and non-student temporary worker wages.

Pronouns are a way for other people to refer to you without using your name (e.g., she/her or they/them).

No. You are not required to enter pronouns.

Yes. You can change your pronouns at any time or opt out of providing your pronouns altogether.

No. Display name and pronouns will appear on your class roster in CAESAR but you will not receive any kind of notification. Consider refreshing your roster throughout the quarter to be aware of any student name or pronoun changes. It can also be helpful to communicate to students that they should feel welcome to let you know if their names or pronouns change at any point in the quarter.

Not necessarily. Display names and pronouns will be visible to instructors on their class rosters in CAESAR. If you change your display name or pronouns in the middle of the quarter, for example, your instructors may not be aware of this. In this case, it's best to communicate directly with them, in person or through email.

Please note: Northwestern administrators, including the Registrar's Office and Human Resources, cannot set up display names or email aliases for employees or students.

• For information on changing your display name on your @northwestern.edu (Exchange/Microsoft 365) account.
• For information on changing your display name on your @u.northwestern.edu (or other G suite account).
• For information on changing your email alias for your @northwestern.edu (Microsoft 365) account.

• For CAESAR: To those of you querying this data, you will continue to retrieve student display/preferred names from CAESAR as you always have, they'll just be populated in a new way. Pronouns will appear in two views, NW_PERSDATA_VW (with which you're likely very familiar) and a new one, NW_PRONOUN_VW. NW_PERSDATA_VW will also be updated with preferred/display name.
• Web Service API: Apigee under Identity, "Display Name & Pronouns"
  https://apiserviceregistry.northwestern.edu/id/idm-current-name-and-pronouns/service/display%20name%20and%20pronouns/version/1.0/details

Display names and pronouns are stored in NUValidate, which will send to myHR, CAESAR and the Microsoft 365 software (Outlook, Teams, Sharepoint) overnight. In some cases, names and pronouns will require more time to arrive at their final system destination. Therefore, most updates will appear overnight, but some will appear after a few days.

Please refer to the employee using the name and pronouns with which they have introduced themselves. Submit hiring documents, however, using (only) legal name. Only after hiring can the employee log into NUValidate and set up their display name, which will flow to downstream systems (such as email and myHR) within a few days.

Because their initial email address will by default use their legal name, after being hired an employee may wish to create a new email that reflects their display name. As with display name, this email alias is created by the employee in NUValidate.

Please also see the FAQ "I was admitted or hired using my legal name. How do I get my display name into my Microsoft 365 and/or G Suite accounts?"

• NUValidate (display name; pronouns)
• myHR (display name; pronouns)
• CAESAR (display name; pronouns)

The systems above will then feed into the following systems and services:

• RMS Mercury (Residential Services)
• Northwestern People Directory (display name only)
• Microsoft 365 (Outlook, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive) (display name only).
  • Note: Microsoft 365 has enabled a local pronoun feature. To add, change, or delete your pronouns on your Microsoft 365 profile, follow these instructions [https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/pronouns-on-your-profile-in-microsoft-365-232c3bfb-a947-4310-86db-b22d63663d85]
• Google G Suite (display name only)
• Workforce Software (Timekeeping) (display name only)
• NUFinancials (display name only)
• Library Systems (display name only)
• Health Services—PNC & Epic (display name only)
• ConnectNU (pronouns only)
• iBuyNU (display name only)
• Canvas (display name; pronouns)
• Wildcard. Upon request the Wildcard Office will issue a Wildcard with display name. Please bring the card you were initially issued to exchange for a new card in order to avoid a replacement fee.