diff --git a/lib/shared/thread-utils.js b/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
--- a/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
+++ b/lib/shared/thread-utils.js
@@ -870,6 +870,10 @@
     name: threadInfo.name,
     display: 'uiName',
     uiName: memberEntities,
+    ifJustViewer:
+      threadInfo.type === threadTypes.PRIVATE
+        ? 'viewer_username'
+        : 'just_you_string',
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/utils/entity-text.js b/lib/utils/entity-text.js
--- a/lib/utils/entity-text.js
+++ b/lib/utils/entity-text.js
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@
       // If uiName is EntityText, then at render time ThreadEntity will be
       // replaced with a pluralized list of uiName's UserEntities
       +uiName: $ReadOnlyArray<UserEntity> | string,
+      // If name isn't set and uiName is an array with only the viewer, then
+      // just_you_string displays "just you" but viewer_username displays the
+      // viewer's ENS-resolved username. Defaults to just_you_string
+      +ifJustViewer?: 'just_you_string' | 'viewer_username',
     }
   | {
       +type: 'thread',
@@ -233,18 +237,27 @@
     if (typeof uiName === 'string') {
       return uiName;
     }
+
     let userEntities = uiName;
     if (!params?.ignoreViewer) {
-      userEntities = userEntities.filter(innerEntity => !innerEntity.isViewer);
-    }
-    if (userEntities.length === 0) {
-      return 'just you';
+      const viewerFilteredUserEntities = userEntities.filter(
+        innerEntity => !innerEntity.isViewer,
+      );
+      if (viewerFilteredUserEntities.length > 0) {
+        userEntities = viewerFilteredUserEntities;
+      } else if (entity.ifJustViewer === 'viewer_username') {
+        params = { ...params, ignoreViewer: true };
+      } else {
+        return 'just you';
+      }
     }
+
     const pluralized = pluralizeEntityText(
       userEntities.map(innerEntity => [innerEntity]),
     );
     return entityTextToRawString(pluralized, params);
   }
+
   invariant(
     entity.display === 'shortName',
     `getNameForThreadEntity can't handle thread entity display ${display}`,