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How to Change Alexa’s Name: 7 Easy Steps

Your Alexa device comes with four other possible names. Here's how you can try one out.

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amazon echo
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Can you change Alexa’s name?

If you own an Amazon Alexa device, you know that she can definitely come in handy. And if not, you may be wondering: What is Amazon’s Alexa and what can it do? Alexa is like command central for your smart home, turning off the lights, working the TV, and even helping you plan a trip. But what if you’d rather not call her “Alexa?” Can you change Alexa’s name? Maybe there’s already someone named Alexa in your household, which makes things way too confusing. Maybe you have multiple Amazon Alexa devices and don’t want to get them mixed up. Or perhaps you’re just a little weirded out by calling a black-and-blue cylinder by a human name. Well, if you are Alexa-averse, whatever the reason, you’re in luck—you’re not stuck with that name.

Although you can’t change her name to whatever you want (there’s a menu with a few choices), there’s a way to change it right on the Alexa app. And changing her name couldn’t be easier. Read on to learn how to change Alexa’s name. And once you’ve decided on what to call her, find out how to change Alexa’s voice, too!

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step 1 open the amazon alexa app
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Step 1: Open the Amazon Alexa app

It’s the blue one with the white circle.

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Step 2 Press More
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Step 2: Click on the bars in the bottom right-hand corner (“More”)

This will open the main menu. Find out some of the most useful Alexa accessories you should own.

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Step 3 Select Settings
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Step 3: Select “Settings”

It’s near the bottom of the menu, below “Help & Feedback.”

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Step 4 Choose Device Settings
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Step 4: Choose the “Device Settings” option

It should be below “Alexa Account.”

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Step 5 Select The Echo Device
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Step 5: On the “All Devices” menu, select the Echo device with the name you’re trying to change

If you have more than one Amazon Alexa device, choose the one you’d like to change. Don’t know the difference between Google Home vs. Amazon Echo? Find out the difference and which is right for you.

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Step 6 Select Wake Word
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Step 6: Scroll down through the options until you find “Wake Word”

Even though we’re showing you how to change Alexa’s name, it’s not technically a “name”—it’s a “wake word,” since saying it “wakes up” the device. The “Wake Word” option is far down on the menu. (When you see “Communications,” you’re getting close.) Select “Wake Word.”

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Step 7 Choose Alexas New Name
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Step 7: Choose Alexa’s new name!

Finally, here’s how to change Alexa’s name: Your screen will say “Wake Word,” and offer four different options underneath it. The other options for Alexa’s name are “Amazon,” “Echo,” and “Computer.” In a recent addition to the classic options, one can now select “Ziggy” as a new name as well. Once you’ve made your selection, don’t forget to hit “OK!”

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Amazon Echo on a coffee table
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Can I use my re-named Alexa immediately?

You can’t start using the new name immediately. Once you change the wake word, it will take a few minutes to update, so you can continue using the original wake word in the meantime. But once the system updates, the name change is complete, and your device will tell you. Then go ahead and use your Amazon device the way you normally would—maybe by asking it these funniest things to ask your Alexa device.

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abstract sound wave of amazon alexa's voice
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How to change Alexa’s voice

Now that you know how to change your Amazon Alexa’s name, do you know how to change Alexa’s voice? You can do that, too! There are several different languages and accents from which to choose. For this task:

-Go into Device Settings and select your device
-Choose “Language”
-Select the option you want
-Save changes

There’s a feature that allows Samuel L. Jackson to be your Alexa voice. (Yes, it costs extra—but only $5.) It even provides “Hey Samuel” as a new wake word. If you get this feature, you’ll still be able to use Alexa’s regular voice with the regular wake word—he doesn’t do absolutely everything Alexa does, including helping with shopping, lists, reminders, or skills. The fun doesn’t stop there! As another paid additional feature, one can now hear the voice of Melissa McCarthy and Shaquille O’Neal give you updates on the weather, tell personal stories, or hear a joke. All you have to say is “Hey, Alexa, introduce me to Shaq” or “Hey, Alexa, introduce me to Melissa” to unlock these features.

There you have it—between her new name and her new voice, it will be like a brand-new Alexa!

Meghan Jones
Meghan Jones is a word nerd who has been writing for RD.com since 2017. You can find her byline on pieces about grammar, fun facts, the meanings of various head-scratching words and phrases, and more. Meghan graduated from Marist College with a Bachelor of Arts in English in 2017; her creative nonfiction piece “Anticipation” was published in the Spring 2017 issue of Angles literary magazine.