Email Greeting for Multiple Recipients
When an email has multiple recipients, choose a greeting that clearly fits the actual audience. Names often work well for a small group; an accurate team or group label can be cleaner for a larger audience. Formality should match the relationship rather than a universal rule.
For example: “Hello Maya and Daniel,” for two named recipients, or “Hello project team,” when writing to an established group.
Key details
Important caveats
Tone Boundary
The best greeting depends on the relationship, formality, and audience; avoid assuming that one formula such as “Dear all” is universally required or forbidden.
Further guidance
Collective Label
For a larger or established group, a truthful collective label such as “Hello team” or the group name can be more natural than listing every person.
Practical Application
For a small named group, greet the recipients by name; for an established team or group, use a clear collective label. Match the greeting’s formality to the relationship and avoid vague labels when the audience may be unclear.
Reader Check
Can every recipient tell immediately that the greeting includes them, and does the formality fit the message?
Small Group
For a small group, naming the recipients can be clearest when practical.
Worked Example
Two colleagues: “Hello Maya and Daniel,”. Established group: “Hello project team,”. For a large mixed audience, use the organization’s preferred collective greeting rather than listing many names.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Email Etiquette Dos & Don’ts (opens in a new tab)The Emily Post Institute · Email etiquette and recipient/greeting context
- How to Write a Proper Email — Email Writing Tips (opens in a new tab)Grammarly · Professional email clarity and cliché-avoidance context