diff --git a/src/MainProgram.cpp b/src/MainProgram.cpp
index cfab56a..5282138 100755
--- a/src/MainProgram.cpp
+++ b/src/MainProgram.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,13 @@ void MainProgram::update() {
     return;
 }
 
+void MainProgram::update_display_names() {
+    for(auto& w : worlds) {
+        if(!w->network_being_used())
+            w->displayName = displayName;
+    }
+}
+
 void MainProgram::new_tab(const World::OpenWorldInfo& tabInfo, bool createSameThread) {
     newTabToOpenInfo = tabInfo;
     if(createSameThread)
diff --git a/src/MainProgram.hpp b/src/MainProgram.hpp
index 353bec0..292472f 100644
--- a/src/MainProgram.hpp
+++ b/src/MainProgram.hpp
@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@ class MainProgram {
         void set_tab_to_close(size_t tabToClose);
         bool network_being_used();
         bool net_server_hosted();
+        void update_display_names();
 
         void save_config();
         void load_config();
diff --git a/src/Server/MainServer.cpp b/src/Server/MainServer.cpp
index 3b9dd4f..30f6909 100644
--- a/src/Server/MainServer.cpp
+++ b/src/Server/MainServer.cpp
@@ -81,6 +81,9 @@ MainServer::MainServer(World& initWorld, const std::string& serverLocalID):
         message(newClient.displayName, isDirectConnect);
         ensure_display_name_unique(newClient.displayName);
 
+        if(isDirectConnect)
+            fileDisplayName = newClient.displayName;
+
         newClient.id.first = Random::get().int_range<ServerPortionID>(1, std::numeric_limits<ServerPortionID>::max());
         client.customID = newClient.id.first;
         newClient.id.second = data.get_max_id(newClient.id.first);
@@ -88,7 +91,7 @@ MainServer::MainServer(World& initWorld, const std::string& serverLocalID):
         if(isDirectConnect)
             netServer->send_items_to_client(client, RELIABLE_COMMAND_CHANNEL, CLIENT_INITIAL_DATA, isDirectConnect, newClient.id.first, newClient.cursorColor);
         else {
-            netServer->send_items_to_client(client, RELIABLE_COMMAND_CHANNEL, CLIENT_INITIAL_DATA, isDirectConnect, newClient.id.first, newClient.cursorColor, newClient.displayName, clients, data);
+            netServer->send_items_to_client(client, RELIABLE_COMMAND_CHANNEL, CLIENT_INITIAL_DATA, isDirectConnect, newClient.id.first, newClient.cursorColor, newClient.displayName, fileDisplayName, clients, data);
             for(auto& [id, rData] : data.resources)
                 netServer->send_items_to_client(client, RESOURCE_COMMAND_CHANNEL, CLIENT_NEW_RESOURCE, id, rData);
         }
diff --git a/src/Server/MainServer.hpp b/src/Server/MainServer.hpp
index 6ec482f..fc9a80e 100644
--- a/src/Server/MainServer.hpp
+++ b/src/Server/MainServer.hpp
@@ -16,5 +16,6 @@ class MainServer {
         World& world;
         void ensure_display_name_unique(std::string& displayName);
         ServerData data;
+        std::string fileDisplayName;
         std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point lastKeepAliveSent;
 };
diff --git a/src/Toolbar.cpp b/src/Toolbar.cpp
index d139c3e..f1acd14 100644
--- a/src/Toolbar.cpp
+++ b/src/Toolbar.cpp
@@ -259,6 +259,8 @@ void Toolbar::set_config_json(const nlohmann::json& j) {
     j.at("useNativeFilePicker").get_to(useNativeFilePicker);
     j.at("themeInUse").get_to(themeData.themeCurrentlyLoaded);
     j.at("velocityAffectsBrushWidth").get_to(velocityAffectsBrushWidth);
+
+    main.update_display_names();
 }
 
 void Toolbar::update() {
@@ -1121,7 +1123,8 @@ void Toolbar::options_menu() {
                                 switch(generalSettingsOptions) {
                                     case GSETTINGS_GENERAL: {
                                         gui.input_text_field("display name input", "Display Name", &main.displayName);
-                                        gui.text_label("Note: Changes in display name dont affect canvas that is currently open");
+                                        main.update_display_names();
+                                        gui.text_label("Note: Changes in display name dont affect canvases that are connected online");
                                         #ifndef __EMSCRIPTEN__
                                             gui.checkbox_field("native file pick", "Use Native File Picker", &useNativeFilePicker);
                                         #endif
diff --git a/src/World.cpp b/src/World.cpp
index 019f3f7..9b772e8 100644
--- a/src/World.cpp
+++ b/src/World.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ void World::init_client_callbacks() {
         bool isDirectConnect;
         message(isDirectConnect, ownID, userColor);
         if(!isDirectConnect) {
-            message(displayName, clients);
+            std::string fileDisplayName;
+            message(displayName, fileDisplayName, clients);
+            set_name(fileDisplayName);
             drawProg.initialize_draw_data(message);
             message(bMan);
         }
@@ -83,14 +85,14 @@ void World::init_client_callbacks() {
         message(id, displayName, cursorColor);
         clients[id].displayName = displayName;
         clients[id].cursorColor = cursorColor;
-        add_chat_message(displayName + " joined", Toolbar::ChatMessage::COLOR_JOIN);
+        add_chat_message(clients[id].displayName + " joined", Toolbar::ChatMessage::COLOR_JOIN);
     });
     con.client_add_recv_callback(CLIENT_USER_DISCONNECT, [&](cereal::PortableBinaryInputArchive& message) {
         ServerPortionID id;
         message(id);
         auto it = clients.find(id);
         if(it != clients.end()) {
-            add_chat_message(displayName + " left", Toolbar::ChatMessage::COLOR_JOIN);
+            add_chat_message(clients[id].displayName + " left", Toolbar::ChatMessage::COLOR_JOIN);
             clients.erase(id);
         }
     });