How to Set Up a Preferred Email Address (Alias)

This article explains how to create and manage your Rice University email aliases. Every user is automatically assigned a default NetID@rice.edu email address when their NetID is created. You may create up to three alternate email aliases through WhooRU. All aliases deliver email to the same mailbox, but aliases cannot be deleted once created, so choose them carefully.

By default, a netid@rice.edu email address will be created and assigned to you when your NetID is initially created (for example: so1912@rice.edu). Each individual can create up to 3 alternate or vanity email aliases, all delivered to your single email mailbox. Log in to WhooRU.rice.edu and select My Aliases from the home screen.

NOTE: When creating and choosing a new alias, be mindful. An alias cannot be deleted once it has been created, and you are limited to three.

Examples of acceptable alias formats:

  • sammyowl@rice.edu
  • SammyOwl@rice.edu
  • sammy.owl@rice.edu
  • Sammy.Owl@rice.edu

Basic Identity Profile Example

NetID: so1912

Legal First Name: Samuel

Legal Last Name: Owl

Preferred Name: Sammy

Affiliation: Student/Mascot

Title: Best Mascot Ever, Rice University Mascot, Marching Owl Band (MOB) Drum Major

screen shot of directory entry of Samuel Owl showing title, department, office, address, affiliation, and email

 

Make sure you set a secondary address or alias as your primary sender address, too, so that every new email automatically sends from that address on their Rice Gmail.
    1. Open Gmail on a web browser (this setting cannot be configured from the mobile app).
    2. Click the Gear icon (Settings) in the top right corner.
    3. Click "See all settings."
    4. Select the Accounts and Import tab at the top of the settings page.
    5. In the Send mail as section, click "Add another email address." A small pop-up window will appear.
    6. In the pop-up window, enter your Name (how you want it to appear to recipients) and the email alias you want to send from.
    7. Keep "Treat as an alias" checked.
    8. Click "Next Step."

    Tip 1 - When composing a message in Gmail, click the "From" line in the compose window to select which email address you want to send the message from. 

    Tip 2 - In the Send mail as settings page, you can choose "Reply from the same address the message was sent to" so Gmail automatically selects the right address when replying to incoming mail. 

     


    Keywords:
    whoru, whooru, my alias, email aliases, vanity address, send as, from address, rice netid, rice gmail
    Doc ID:
    162864
    Owned by:
    Ajsia J. in Rice U
    Created:
    2026-07-23
    Updated:
    2026-08-06
    Sites:
    Rice University