Change your name in Facebook settings in under two minutes

To change your name on Facebook, open the app or website, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Find Personal Information on the left menu, click Name, type your new name in both the first and last name fields, and click Change Name. Your new name appears on your profile and in comments within minutes.

Facebook allows you to change your name once every 60 days. The name you enter must follow Facebook's Name Policy—it should be the name you go by in everyday life, contain only letters, numbers, periods, hyphens, and apostrophes, and not include symbols, emojis, or excessive punctuation. If you try to use a name that looks fake or violates the policy, Facebook will reject the change and ask you to try again.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook name by going to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Name and typing your new name.
  • Facebook limits name changes to once every 60 days, so plan ahead if you need to change it again soon.
  • Your name must follow Facebook's Name Policy—it should be your real everyday name and contain only standard characters like letters, numbers, periods, hyphens, and apostrophes.
  • If Facebook rejects your name change, the rejection message will explain why and you can try again with a different name.
  • Your new name shows up when ready on your profile, posts, and comments, but old posts may still display your previous name in some places.

Step-by-step instructions for desktop and mobile

On desktop: Log into Facebook and look for the downward arrow icon in the top right corner of the screen, next to your profile picture. Click it and select Settings & Privacy, then Settings from the dropdown menu. On the left side of the page, click Personal Information. Find the row labeled Name and click on it. Two text boxes will appear—one for your first name and one for your last name. Clear the existing text and type your new name. Click the blue Change Name button at the bottom. A confirmation message will appear, and your name changes when ready.

On mobile (iPhone or Android): Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal Information. Tap Name. Edit the first and last name fields with your new name. Tap Change Name at the bottom. The change takes effect right away.

If you are using Facebook in a web browser on your phone, follow the desktop steps above—the layout is the same. The process takes about 90 seconds either way.

What names Facebook will and will not accept

Facebook's Name Policy exists to prevent fake accounts and impersonation. Your name must be the name you actually use in daily life—the one your friends and family call you. It cannot be a business name, a nickname that is not widely known, a URL, a hashtag, or a string of numbers meant to look like a code. You cannot use all capital letters, excessive punctuation, or symbols like @ or #.

Allowed characters include letters (A–Z, a–z), numbers (0–9), periods (.), hyphens (-), and apostrophes ('). Names like "Mary-Jane O'Brien" or "Jean-Pierre Dupont" pass without issue. Names like "M@ry J@ne" or "MARY JANE!!!" will be rejected. If your name contains characters from other languages—accents, umlauts, or non-Latin scripts—Facebook accepts those as long as they are real letters in your language.

If Facebook rejects your name change, you will see a message explaining why. Common reasons include using symbols, using all caps, or the name being flagged as potentially fake. Read the message carefully and try again with a different version of your name. If you believe your name is legitimate and Facebook is wrong, you can report the issue through the help center, though responses can take several days.

The 60-day waiting period between changes

Once you change your name, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This limit applies whether you are changing it back to your old name or to something new. If you made a typo or want to fix the spelling, you will have to wait the full 60 days before making another change. Plan your name change carefully to avoid this delay.

The 60-day timer starts the moment you click Change Name, not when Facebook processes the change. If you change your name on a Monday, you cannot change it again until the following Monday, 60 days later. There is no way to speed this up or request an exception—the restriction is automatic.

How your old name appears in past posts and comments

When you change your name, Facebook updates it on your profile, in new posts, and in new comments when ready. However, old posts and comments you made before the change may still show your previous name in some places. This is not a glitch—it is how Facebook stores historical data. Over time, most old posts will update to show your new name, but the process is not when ready and some very old content may retain the old name indefinitely.

People who look at your profile will see only your current name. When they click on an old post you made, they will see your current name as the author. The old name does not appear to anyone else—it is only visible in Facebook's backend systems. You cannot manually update the names on old posts, and there is no setting to hide them.

Changing your name back or fixing a mistake

If you change your name and when ready realize you made a typo or want to change it back, you are stuck waiting 60 days. Facebook does not make exceptions for mistakes. The only workaround is to wait until the 60-day window closes, then change your name again to the correct version.

If you changed your name and someone is now impersonating you using your old name, report the fake account to Facebook through the Report button on their profile. Facebook takes impersonation seriously and will investigate. Do not try to change your name again to "reclaim" it—that will not help and will trigger the 60-day restriction.

Why Facebook might reject your name change

Facebook uses automated systems to flag names that look fake, but the system is not perfect. Names that are rejected often contain symbols, numbers in unusual places, repeated letters, or words that are not real names. If your name is rejected, the error message will usually tell you why. Read it carefully and adjust your name to fit the policy.

Some names are rejected because they match words Facebook's system flags as spam or abuse. For example, a name that is also a common slur or offensive term might be rejected even if it is your real name. If this happens, you can try adding a middle initial, using a nickname, or contacting Facebook's support team through the help center to explain your situation. Response times vary, but Facebook will review legitimate cases.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my name more than once every 60 days?

No. Facebook enforces a strict 60-day waiting period between name changes. You cannot change your name again until 60 days have passed since your last change, even if you want to change it back to your old name or fix a typo. Plan your name change carefully to avoid this delay.

Will my friends see a notification when I change my name?

No. Facebook does not send notifications to your friends when you change your name. Your new name will appear on your profile and in new posts and comments, but there is no alert. Some friends may notice the change if they visit your profile, but most will not be notified.

Can I use a nickname or stage name instead of my legal name?

Yes, as long as it is a name you actually go by in everyday life. Facebook's policy allows nicknames, stage names, and names from other cultures or languages. The name just has to be something people actually call you, not a made-up username or business name. If Facebook rejects it, try a different version or add your legal name as a middle name.

What happens if I change my name and then get hacked?

If someone hacks your account and changes your name, you can change it back once you regain access. The 60-day restriction still applies, so if the hacker changed your name, you will have to wait 60 days before changing it again after you fix it. find your account when ready by changing your password and checking your login activity in Settings.

Can I have two names on my Facebook profile at the same time?

No. Facebook only allows one name per profile. You cannot display both your old and new name, or a first and last name in a different format. If you need to be known by multiple names, you would need separate profiles, though Facebook's terms of service generally allow only one profile per person.