Fix: Caller Name Shows Up but Not in Contacts on iPhone

There can be times when a caller’s name shows up on your iPhone despite them not being in your contacts list. While this can be puzzling, there are a couple of different reasons why this happens. Let’s explore why this happens and what you can do about it.

Why Did the Caller’s Name Show Up Without Being in My Contacts?

There can be two reasons why a caller ID name shows up despite the person not being in your contacts. For the iPhone, Apple has a built-in feature that uses Siri to help detect unknown callers. In this instance, you will see the word ‘Maybe’ before the name. Your cellular carrier may also implement a Name Display service which is also capable of showing you names when they are not in your iPhone. You can disable Apple’s contact ID, but you may not be able to disable the one provided by your cellular provider.

How Do I Disable Caller Names Not in My iPhone?

NOTE

If you are still receiving names for unknown numbers after disabling this feature, it is likely due to Name Display services. You will need to contact your service provider to discuss your options. Note that disabling this setting may have an impact on other Siri functions.