Why Does a Name Appear Blue in iMessage?

If you're an iMessage user, you've probably noticed that the names of people you're messaging sometimes appear in blue text. iMessage might have been around for a long time, but some features still stump users occasionally. This mystery is one of them. What does it exactly mean when a name appears in blue?

And we're not talking about blue text bubbles or blue contact names when you start a new chat with someone. Although if you're not sure about these either, here's a short explainer.

Blue bubbles in a conversation or blue contact names/ numbers mean that the person you're messaging is also using iMessage. iMessage is Apple's native messaging service built into all Apple devices, such as iPhones, iPads, and Macs. It allows users to send and receive text messages, photos, videos, and more over Wi-Fi or cellular data.

If your iMessage is enabled and you send a message to someone who also has iMessage enabled for that contact number/ email address, the message will be sent over Wi-Fi or cellular data. This is in contrast to SMS messages which are sent through your cellular carrier; these conversations/ contacts appear in green color. Chances are, most of you already knew this.

Now, on to the other question you've probably come here for.

What Does It Mean When a Name Appears in Blue in Conversation?

If your name appears in blue in an iMessage conversation, it means that the other person has mentioned you. Similarly, in a group chat, if your name appears in blue, you have been mentioned. However, only the person who has been mentioned will see their name in blue in the conversation.

If it is a group chat, other people will only see the name that was mentioned in bold letters instead of in blue color. Some people think that not seeing the name in blue might mean the person has blocked them. I hope those worries are put to rest now.

How to Mention Someone in iMessage

You can mention someone in a chat to get their attention. To mention someone, type @ in the conversation, followed by their name in your contacts. Their contact card will appear above the keyboard; tap it. Only the person(s) part of the conversation can be mentioned.

Their name will appear in blue in the text box. You can also mention more than one person in a single message by typing @ again and following it with their name. Include the rest of the message as usual, or you can also keep the message empty. Hit 'Send' to send the message.

While the name will no longer appear blue at your end (it will appear in bold instead), it will appear in blue for them.

They will also receive a notification that you've mentioned them. A mention can even notify someone that you've mentioned them even if they've muted the conversation, but this depends on their settings. If they've configured their settings to not be notified for mentions, they won't receive a notification.