WhatsApp Display Name – Approval, Review & Appeal Process WhatsApp Display Name – Approval, Review & Appeal Process

WhatsApp Display Name – Approval, Review & Appeal Process

Asha Chintaluru

Objective

Every WhatsApp Business phone number must have a display name. The WhatsApp Business display name is the business name that customers see in conversations and on the WhatsApp Business profile, instead of just the phone number. When a phone number is added to a WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) via the Embedded Signup registration process, a display name must be assigned to it.

The provided display name goes through Meta's review process to ensure it accurately represents the business.

 

Note: Customers can still send and receive messages on their WhatsApp Business number even if the display name is pending review or has been rejected. Display name is used for branding and identification purposes only — it does not block messaging functionality.

Applies To

  • Messages API
  • WhatsApp

Display Name Guidelines

All display names must comply with Meta's Display Name Guidelines and the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy. The key requirements are:

  • Must be clearly related to the business and accurately represent the brand, product, service, or organisation

  • Must reflect the business's legal name or have a clear, externally verifiable relationship to it

  • Must not violate the WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy

  • Must not use generic terms (e.g. "Fashion" or "New York")

  • Must not include misleading verification language such as "Official" or "Verified"

  • Must not reference Meta or its family of apps

  • Must not contain advertising or promotional language

  • Must not be formatted as a website URL or email address

  • Must be consistent with the company's website, marketing materials, or verified legal name

 

Display Name Review Eligibility (Scaling Requirements)

A display name becomes eligible for WhatsApp's review only after the business meets the messaging limit scaling requirements.

Scaling Path to Become Eligible

To be eligible for display name review, the business must complete one of the following scaling paths:

  1. Business Verification – The business must be verified in the Meta Business Suite. See the Meta Business Verification process.

  2. Message Volume – Send at least 2,000 delivered messages to unique phone numbers outside of customer care windows within a 30-day moving period, using templates with a high quality rating.

    Note: Newly created business portfolios start with a messaging limit of 250. Once the scaling path is completed, the limit is increased to 2,000 for a rolling 24 hour period, and further automatic scaling (10,000 → 100,000 → Unlimited) can occur based on continued high-quality messaging.

 

Display Name Review Process

Once the above scaling path is completed (either by business verification or by sending 2,000 messages to unique numbers within a 30-day moving period), the messaging limit is increased to 2,000 messages in a rolling 24-hour period. Once this threshold is reached:

  1. The business phone number's display name automatically undergoes verification based on WhatsApp's Display Name Guidelines.

  2. Once WhatsApp completes the review:

    • Vonage receives a display name update notification from Meta, and our system automatically triggers phone re-registration to apply the display name status.

      • A notification is also triggered in the Meta Business Suite / WhatsApp Manager.

  3. Meta typically completes the review within 24 hours. The customer will receive an email from Meta when the review is complete.

  4. The customer can also check the status in WhatsApp Manager under Phone Numbers > Settings > Profile. If the display name has been approved via the WhatsApp display name verification process, you will see a banner "Name visible to customers" under the phone number.

    Note: If your display name is not visible after meeting all requirements and receiving an approved status, it may require a manual re-registration to apply the display name status — on rare occasions, the automatic re-registration may not be triggered. Please contact our Vonage Support team if this occurs.

 

Display Name Visibility

Important: Approval in WhatsApp Manager does not always mean the display name is immediately visible in the chat list or chat header.

 

Account type/Feature Search Chat list  Chat thread/Header   Contact view
Display name not approved/rejected Phone number Phone number  Phone number Phone number

Display name Approved/ Account Not scaled (i.e., Non-verified account/ Account with low messaging limit)

 

Phone number

 

Phone number

 

 

Phone number

 

 

Phone number + display name in small text

 

 

 
Display name approved - Scaled account (Verified Account with Messaging tier at least 2000 ) (Non OBA) Phone number Display name (If contact is not saved with any other name) Display name (If contact is not saved with any other name)

Display name (saved contact name if saved) + Phone number



 
Official Business Account Display name Display name Display name Display name + Number

Until the display name is reviewed and approved with the required scaling, customers will see the phone number instead of the business name in the chat list and chat thread.

Note: For the OBA account, though the contact is saved, the display name will be visible instead of the saved contact.

 

Rejected Display Names

If a display name is rejected, the customer will see a notification in WhatsApp Manager with the rejection reason.

 

Note: A rejected display name does not impact messaging. Customers can continue to send and receive messages. The phone number will be shown to end users instead of the display name until it is approved.

 

Option 1 – Edit and Resubmit (Self-Service)

The customer can review the Meta Display Name Guidelines, update the display name accordingly, and resubmit via WABA Manager. Refer to the How to Change a WhatsApp Display Name article for step-by-step instructions.

Option 2 – Appeal the Rejection

If you believe your display name adheres to Meta's Display Name Guidelines and the rejection was made in error:

  1. Review the rejection reason and confirm your display name complies with Meta's Display Name Guidelines.

  2. Contact our Vonage Support team with your display name details and the reason you believe it should be approved.

  3. We will appeal the rejection on your behalf with Meta.

 

Key Points to Remember

  • Display name is mandatory and must be assigned when registering a WhatsApp Business phone number.

  • Display name visibility depends on business verification and account scaling.

  • Approval in WhatsApp Manager does not always mean the display name is visible in the chat list or chat thread.

  • For non-verified accounts with low messaging limits, the display name may show as "Approved" in WABA Manager but will only be visible in the business phone number's WhatsApp profile (i.e., contact view) — this is because the display name has not been approved via the display name verification process.

  • Based on customer experiences, the display name is more likely to propagate in chat lists and chat threads once the account is verified, the messaging limit has scaled to at least 2,000 (rolling 24-hour period), and the account maintains a good quality rating.

  • Rejected display names can be edited and resubmitted without impacting the messaging flow.

 

Additional Information

Related to:

WhatsApp Display name

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