You can change your Facebook name once every 60 days through your settings

Facebook lets you change the name on your account, but only once every 60 days. The change takes effect when ready across your profile, posts, and comments. You do not need to create a new account or lose your history — your friends, messages, and photos all stay with you.

The name you enter must follow Facebook's naming rules: it should be the name you go by in everyday life, not a business name, character name, or string of numbers. Facebook reviews name changes and may reject ones that look fake or violate their standards.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your name once every 60 days by going to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information.
  • Your new name appears on your profile and all your past posts when ready, but Facebook may take a few minutes to update everywhere.
  • Facebook rejects names that look like business names, character names, numbers only, or repeated characters, and you cannot appeal a rejection.
  • If you have changed your name recently, you must wait 60 days from your last change before you can change it again.
  • Changing your name does not affect your login email, password, or any of your messages and photos.

Step-by-step: changing your name on desktop

Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner. Select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information. Next to your name, click Edit.

Type your new name in the field that appears. You can change your first name, middle name, last name, or any combination. Click Review Change to see how it will look. If it looks right, click Save Changes. Facebook will confirm the change and show you when you can change it again.

Step-by-step: changing your name on mobile

Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal Information. Tap the name field, then tap Edit.

Type your new name and tap Review Change. Check that it looks correct, then tap Save Changes. The app will confirm the change and tell you when you can change it next.

What names Facebook will and will not accept

Facebook requires names to be what you actually go by — your legal name, nickname, or the name your friends know you by. The platform rejects names that are business names (like "Sarah's Bakery"), character names (like "Captain America"), numbers only, or repeated characters (like "AAAA"). Names with numbers mixed in are usually rejected too.

If Facebook rejects your name change, you will see a message explaining why. The platform does not offer an appeal process for rejected names. If you believe your name was rejected in error, you can try again with a different version of your name — for example, using a middle name or nickname instead.

The 60-day waiting period explained

Once you change your name, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This timer starts from the date you made the last change, not from when Facebook processed it. If you changed your name on March 1st, you can change it again on April 30th.

If you try to change your name before 60 days have passed, Facebook will show you a message telling you when you can change it next. There is no way to skip this waiting period or request an exception.

What stays the same when you change your name

Your email address, password, and login information do not change. Your friends list, messages, photos, and posts all stay exactly where they are. Your old posts will show your new name, not your old one — Facebook updates the name retroactively across your entire history.

Your username (the part that appears in your profile URL) is separate from your display name and does not change unless you change it separately. If someone tagged you in a photo under your old name, the tag will show your new name once the change takes effect.

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I change my name and then want to change it back?

You can change it back, but you have to wait 60 days from your last change. If you changed your name today, you cannot change it back until 60 days from now. The waiting period applies to every change, whether you are changing to something new or reverting to an old name.

Will my friends see a notification that I changed my name?

Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your name. They will see your new name the next time they visit your profile or see your posts. Some people may not notice the change right away.

Can I use a fake name or a character name on Facebook?

No. Facebook's rules require you to use the name you go by in everyday life. Character names, business names, and obviously fake names are rejected. If Facebook catches you using a fake name, your account could be suspended or disabled.

Does changing my name affect my Facebook page or business account?

If you are changing the name on a personal profile, it does not affect a separate business page or creator account you may have. Business pages have their own name settings and can be changed independently. Personal profile name changes only affect your personal account.

What if Facebook says my name violates their standards?

Facebook will reject the name and show you a reason. Common reasons are that it looks like a business name, contains too many numbers, or appears to be a character name. You cannot appeal the rejection, but you can try a different version of your name — for example, adding or removing a middle name or using a nickname instead.