diff --git a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/account/AccountInfo.kt b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/account/AccountInfo.kt
index 25454c7d9..cecdfe6ca 100644
--- a/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/account/AccountInfo.kt
+++ b/commons/src/commonMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/commons/model/account/AccountInfo.kt
@@ -30,5 +30,6 @@ import androidx.compose.runtime.Immutable
 data class AccountInfo(
     val npub: String,
     val signerType: SignerType,
+    val displayName: String? = null,
     val isTransient: Boolean = false,
 )
diff --git a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt
index caa084ccd..2265b86b5 100644
--- a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt
+++ b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/Main.kt
@@ -673,6 +673,17 @@ fun App(
         }
     }
 
+    // Persist display name when metadata arrives from relays
+    val metadataVersion by localCache.metadataVersion.collectAsState()
+    LaunchedEffect(metadataVersion) {
+        val current = accountManager.currentAccount() ?: return@LaunchedEffect
+        val user = localCache.getUserIfExists(current.pubKeyHex) ?: return@LaunchedEffect
+        val name = user.toBestDisplayName()
+        if (name != user.pubkeyDisplayHex()) {
+            accountManager.updateDisplayName(current.npub, name)
+        }
+    }
+
     // Try to load saved account on startup
     DisposableEffect(Unit) {
         relayManager.addDefaultRelays()
diff --git a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/AccountManager.kt b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/AccountManager.kt
index 17626a82e..eb5e7b2ab 100644
--- a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/AccountManager.kt
+++ b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/AccountManager.kt
@@ -247,23 +247,26 @@ class AccountManager internal constructor(
         }
 
     private suspend fun loadInternalAccount(npub: String): Result<AccountState.LoggedIn> {
-        val privKeyHex =
-            secureStorage.getPrivateKey(npub)
-                ?: return Result.failure(Exception("Private key not found for $npub"))
+        val privKeyHex = secureStorage.getPrivateKey(npub)
 
-        val keyPair = KeyPair(privKey = privKeyHex.hexToByteArray())
-        val signer = NostrSignerInternal(keyPair)
+        if (privKeyHex != null) {
+            val keyPair = KeyPair(privKey = privKeyHex.hexToByteArray())
+            val signer = NostrSignerInternal(keyPair)
 
-        val state =
-            AccountState.LoggedIn(
-                signer = signer,
-                pubKeyHex = keyPair.pubKey.toHexKey(),
-                npub = keyPair.pubKey.toNpub(),
-                nsec = keyPair.privKey?.toNsec(),
-                isReadOnly = false,
-            )
-        _accountState.value = state
-        return Result.success(state)
+            val state =
+                AccountState.LoggedIn(
+                    signer = signer,
+                    pubKeyHex = keyPair.pubKey.toHexKey(),
+                    npub = keyPair.pubKey.toNpub(),
+                    nsec = keyPair.privKey?.toNsec(),
+                    isReadOnly = false,
+                )
+            _accountState.value = state
+            return Result.success(state)
+        }
+
+        // No private key — fall back to read-only
+        return loadReadOnlyAccount(npub)
     }
 
     private suspend fun loadBunkerAccount(
@@ -663,13 +666,30 @@ class AccountManager internal constructor(
         return Result.success(state)
     }
 
-    suspend fun ensureCurrentAccountInStorage() {
+    suspend fun ensureCurrentAccountInStorage(displayName: String? = null) {
         val current = currentAccount() ?: return
-        val info = AccountInfo(npub = current.npub, signerType = current.signerType)
+        // Merge with existing stored info to preserve display name if not provided
+        val existing = accountStorage.loadAccounts().find { it.npub == current.npub }
+        val info =
+            AccountInfo(
+                npub = current.npub,
+                signerType = current.signerType,
+                displayName = displayName ?: existing?.displayName,
+            )
         accountStorage.saveAccount(info)
         accountStorage.setCurrentAccount(current.npub)
     }
 
+    suspend fun updateDisplayName(
+        npub: String,
+        displayName: String,
+    ) {
+        val accounts = accountStorage.loadAccounts()
+        val existing = accounts.find { it.npub == npub } ?: return
+        accountStorage.saveAccount(existing.copy(displayName = displayName))
+        refreshAccountList()
+    }
+
     suspend fun removeAccountFromStorage(npub: String) {
         val current = currentAccount()
         accountStorage.deleteAccount(npub)
diff --git a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/DesktopAccountStorage.kt b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/DesktopAccountStorage.kt
index 03e5d0a64..51d6c2b84 100644
--- a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/DesktopAccountStorage.kt
+++ b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/account/DesktopAccountStorage.kt
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ internal data class AccountInfoDto(
     val npub: String,
     val signerKind: String, // "internal", "remote", "viewonly"
     val bunkerUri: String? = null,
+    val displayName: String? = null,
     val isTransient: Boolean = false,
 ) {
     fun toAccountInfo(): AccountInfo =
@@ -209,6 +210,7 @@ internal data class AccountInfoDto(
                     "viewonly" -> SignerType.ViewOnly
                     else -> SignerType.Internal
                 },
+            displayName = displayName,
             isTransient = isTransient,
         )
 
@@ -223,6 +225,7 @@ internal data class AccountInfoDto(
                         is SignerType.ViewOnly -> "viewonly"
                     },
                 bunkerUri = (info.signerType as? SignerType.Remote)?.bunkerUri,
+                displayName = info.displayName,
                 isTransient = info.isTransient,
             )
     }
diff --git a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/account/AccountSwitcherDropdown.kt b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/account/AccountSwitcherDropdown.kt
index 2aace03a2..ee8bb2cff 100644
--- a/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/account/AccountSwitcherDropdown.kt
+++ b/desktopApp/src/jvmMain/kotlin/com/vitorpamplona/amethyst/desktop/ui/account/AccountSwitcherDropdown.kt
@@ -122,8 +122,8 @@ fun AccountSwitcherDropdown(
             allAccounts.forEach { account ->
                 val isActive = account.npub == activeNpub
 
-                // Resolve display name from cache (no remember — cheap lookup, re-evaluates each recomposition)
-                val displayName = resolveDisplayName(account.npub, localCache)
+                // Use persisted display name first, fall back to cache lookup
+                val displayName = account.displayName ?: resolveDisplayName(account.npub, localCache)
                 val shortNpub = npubShortMiddle(account.npub)
                 val signerLabel =
                     when (account.signerType) {
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ fun AccountSwitcherDropdown(
     // Logout confirmation dialog
     val logoutNpub = confirmLogoutNpub
     if (logoutNpub != null) {
-        val logoutDisplayName = resolveDisplayName(logoutNpub, localCache)
+        val logoutAccount = allAccounts.find { it.npub == logoutNpub }
+        val logoutDisplayName = logoutAccount?.displayName ?: resolveDisplayName(logoutNpub, localCache)
 
         AlertDialog(
             onDismissRequest = { confirmLogoutNpub = null },