I have my own WhatsApp account's number stored as a contact in my mobile.
Theoretically, WhatsApp should detect my own number from the contacts list and show the name of the contact as set in the list of chats if I send myself a message.
The following screenshot shows the chat thread with my own phone number even though it's already saved in the contact.
Is it possible to display the name from the saved contact instead?
Theoretically, it should. However, WhatsApp doesn't allow that. So, whilst you can still somehow start a chat with your own number and send messages, there's no way to make WhatsApp see it as a contact and show it with a name. I have tried saving it in different ways to no avail.
I often use the self chat to save important messages and to take notes without having to send the message to a random contact. And for that I just type in my number to quickly get it there.
Q & A