diff --git a/frontend/src/App.tsx b/frontend/src/App.tsx
index ae1f8d5..7788d66 100644
--- a/frontend/src/App.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/App.tsx
@@ -8,9 +8,10 @@ import { type Request } from "./api/types";
 
 type AppProps = {
   socket: WebSocket | null;
+  userName: string;
 };
 
-export function App({ socket }: AppProps) {
+export function App({ socket, userName }: AppProps) {
   const [roomID, setRoomID] = useState<string>("");
   const [rooms, setRooms] = useState<RoomSummary[]>([]);
   const [joinedRooms, setJoinedRooms] = useState<Set<string>>(new Set());
@@ -30,7 +31,7 @@ export function App({ socket }: AppProps) {
   const sendMessageRequest = useWsRequest(socket, undefined);
 
   const onMessageSent = (content: string) => {
-    const chat: Chat = { content, user: { name: "You" } };
+    const chat: Chat = { content, user: { name: userName } };
 
     if (!roomID) {
       return;
diff --git a/frontend/src/TopBar.tsx b/frontend/src/TopBar.tsx
index 4ba6a27..a6f8683 100644
--- a/frontend/src/TopBar.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/TopBar.tsx
@@ -1,14 +1,100 @@
-export function TopBar() {
+import { useRef, useState, type FormEvent } from "react";
+
+type TopBarProps = {
+  displayName: string;
+  onRename: (name: string) => void;
+};
+
+export function TopBar({ displayName, onRename }: TopBarProps) {
+  const dialogRef = useRef<HTMLDialogElement | null>(null);
+  const [draftName, setDraftName] = useState(displayName);
+  const initials = getInitials(displayName);
+
+  const openDialog = () => {
+    setDraftName(displayName);
+    dialogRef.current?.showModal();
+  };
+
+  const closeDialog = () => {
+    dialogRef.current?.close();
+  };
+
+  const handleSubmit = (event: FormEvent<HTMLFormElement>) => {
+    event.preventDefault();
+    const trimmed = draftName.trim();
+    if (!trimmed) {
+      return;
+    }
+    onRename(trimmed);
+    closeDialog();
+  };
+
   return (
     <div className="navbar border-b border-base-300 bg-base-100 px-4 shadow-sm">
       <div className="navbar-start">
         <a className="btn btn-ghost text-lg font-semibold">echx</a>
       </div>
-      <div className="navbar-end">
+      <div className="navbar-end gap-2">
+        <div className="hidden flex-col items-end text-right sm:flex">
+          <span className="text-[0.7rem] uppercase tracking-[0.2em] text-base-content/50">Signed in as</span>
+          <span className="text-sm font-semibold text-base-content">{displayName}</span>
+        </div>
+        <div className="avatar placeholder">
+          <div className="w-9 rounded-full bg-primary text-primary-content">
+            <span className="text-xs font-semibold">{initials}</span>
+          </div>
+        </div>
+        <button type="button" className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm" onClick={openDialog}>
+          Rename
+        </button>
         <button type="button" className="btn btn-ghost btn-sm">
           New room
         </button>
       </div>
+      <dialog ref={dialogRef} className="modal">
+        <div className="modal-box">
+          <h3 className="text-lg font-bold">Rename profile</h3>
+          <p className="mt-1 text-sm text-base-content/70">
+            Your new name will be used the next time you connect.
+          </p>
+          <form className="mt-4 space-y-4" onSubmit={handleSubmit}>
+            <label className="form-control">
+              <div className="label">
+                <span className="label-text">Display name</span>
+              </div>
+              <input
+                className="input input-bordered"
+                value={draftName}
+                onChange={(event) => setDraftName(event.target.value)}
+                maxLength={32}
+                placeholder="Enter a new name"
+              />
+            </label>
+            <div className="modal-action">
+              <button type="button" className="btn btn-ghost" onClick={closeDialog}>
+                Cancel
+              </button>
+              <button type="submit" className="btn btn-primary" disabled={!draftName.trim()}>
+                Save
+              </button>
+            </div>
+          </form>
+        </div>
+        <form method="dialog" className="modal-backdrop">
+          <button type="button">close</button>
+        </form>
+      </dialog>
     </div>
   );
 }
+
+function getInitials(name: string): string {
+  const parts = name.trim().split(/\s+/).filter(Boolean);
+  if (parts.length === 0) {
+    return "?";
+  }
+  if (parts.length === 1) {
+    return parts[0].slice(0, 2).toUpperCase();
+  }
+  return (parts[0][0] + parts[1][0]).toUpperCase();
+}
diff --git a/frontend/src/main.tsx b/frontend/src/main.tsx
index 85f4fa0..0be9616 100644
--- a/frontend/src/main.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/main.tsx
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import { TopBar } from "./TopBar.tsx";
 import { App } from "./App.tsx";
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { QueryClient, QueryClientProvider } from "@tanstack/react-query";
+import { useWsRequest } from "./hooks/useWsRequest";
+import { type Request } from "./api/types";
 
 createRoot(document.getElementById("root")!).render(
   <StrictMode>
@@ -16,6 +18,8 @@ const queryClient = new QueryClient();
 
 export function Main() {
   const [socket, setSocket] = useState<WebSocket | null>(null);
+  const [identity, setIdentity] = useState(() => loadIdentity());
+  const connectRequest = useWsRequest(socket, undefined);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     const nextSocket = new WebSocket(resolveWebSocketUrl());
@@ -33,12 +37,29 @@ export function Main() {
     };
   }, []);
 
+  useEffect(() => {
+    saveIdentity(identity);
+  }, [identity]);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!identity.name.trim()) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const request: Request = { type: "connect", token: identity.token, name: identity.name };
+    connectRequest(request);
+  }, [connectRequest, identity]);
+
+  const handleRename = (nextName: string) => {
+    setIdentity((prev) => ({ ...prev, name: nextName }));
+  };
+
   return (
     <div className="h-screen flex flex-col overflow-hidden">
-      <TopBar />
+      <TopBar displayName={identity.name} onRename={handleRename} />
       <div className="flex flex-1 min-h-0 overflow-hidden">
         <QueryClientProvider client={queryClient}>
-          <App socket={socket} />
+          <App socket={socket} userName={identity.name} />
         </QueryClientProvider>
       </div>
     </div>
@@ -60,3 +81,48 @@ function resolveWebSocketUrl(): string {
 
   return url.toString();
 }
+
+const IDENTITY_STORAGE_KEY = "echx.identity";
+const DEFAULT_NAME = "Guest";
+
+type Identity = {
+  token: string;
+  name: string;
+};
+
+function loadIdentity(): Identity {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") {
+    return { token: createToken(), name: DEFAULT_NAME };
+  }
+
+  const stored = window.localStorage.getItem(IDENTITY_STORAGE_KEY);
+  if (stored) {
+    try {
+      const parsed = JSON.parse(stored) as Partial<Identity>;
+      if (parsed?.token && parsed?.name) {
+        return { token: parsed.token, name: parsed.name };
+      }
+    } catch {
+      // ignore invalid storage
+    }
+  }
+
+  const identity = { token: createToken(), name: DEFAULT_NAME };
+  window.localStorage.setItem(IDENTITY_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(identity));
+  return identity;
+}
+
+function saveIdentity(identity: Identity): void {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  window.localStorage.setItem(IDENTITY_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(identity));
+}
+
+function createToken(): string {
+  if (typeof crypto !== "undefined" && "randomUUID" in crypto) {
+    return crypto.randomUUID();
+  }
+  return `token-${Date.now()}`;
+}