Similar names in Google Auto-Complete Contacts

Have you ever been unsure which person’s name to choose when the Gmail auto-complete contacts feature presented you a choice of names for the ToCc or Bcc fields? On a campus as large as NC State, there are bound to be people with similar names, and currently, Gmail suggests, for example, Pat Smith for both Pat R. Smith and Pat M. Smith.

Until Google provides a solution, such as displaying one’s department in the auto-complete information, NC State’s Google Service Team recommends that you consider using a profile photo. When someone’s cursor hovers over your name, your photo is shown, helping people who know you to make the right choice. If you don’t want your photo online, the team is also providing a generic image that identifies you as a student or faculty/staff, which might also help people choose correctly.

For tips on how to post your own profile photo, use a generic image or resolve similar names, visit What if multiple people have similar names in Google Auto-Complete Contacts.