Change your name in Facebook settings in three steps

Open Facebook and go to the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner on mobile, or the downward arrow in the top right on desktop. Select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Scroll down to Personal Information and tap or click Name. Type your new first and last name in the fields provided, then tap or click Review Change. Facebook will show you how your new name appears to others. If it looks correct, tap or click Save Changes.

The change takes effect when ready. Your new name appears on your profile, in comments, in messages, and everywhere else on Facebook right away. You do not need to log out or refresh the page to see the change.

Facebook limits how often you can change your name. If you changed your name in the last 60 days, you will see a message saying you cannot change it again until that 60-day window closes. This limit applies whether you changed it yourself or someone else changed it on your account.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your name through Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Name on any device.
  • Facebook requires you to wait 60 days between name changes, even if you made a typo or changed your mind.
  • Your new name shows everywhere on Facebook when ready — your profile, comments, messages, and tags.
  • If someone else changed your name without permission, you can change it back when ready using the same steps.
  • Facebook does not require you to use your legal name, but the name must follow their community standards and cannot include numbers or special characters in most cases.

What name format Facebook accepts

Facebook allows most combinations of letters, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes. You can use accented characters like é, ñ, or ü. You cannot use numbers, emojis, symbols, or repeated punctuation marks. Names like "Mary-Jane O'Brien" or "José García" work fine. Names like "Mary Jane 2024" or "José!!!!" do not.

You do not have to use your legal name. Many people use nicknames, stage names, or shortened versions of their full name. Facebook's rule is that your name must be the name you go by in everyday life — the name your friends actually call you. If Facebook flags your name as violating community standards, you will see a message explaining why and can try a different version.

How to change your name on mobile

On iPhone or Android, open the Facebook app and tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of the screen. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then tap Settings. Scroll to Personal Information and tap Name. Clear the current name fields and type your new first and last name. Tap Review Change to see a preview, then tap Save Changes.

If you are using Facebook through a mobile web browser instead of the app, the steps are the same, but the menu icon appears in the top right corner instead of the bottom right.

How to change your name on desktop

On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner of Facebook. Click Settings & Privacy, then click Settings. On the left side, click Personal Information. Find the Name row and click the pencil icon next to it. Type your new first and last name in the fields that appear. Click Review Change to preview how it will look, then click Save Changes.

If you use Facebook in a different language, the menu labels will be in that language, but the location and order of the steps remain the same.

What to do if you cannot change your name

If you see a message that you changed your name too recently, you must wait until the 60-day window closes. There is no way to bypass this limit. Mark the date on a calendar so you know when you can try again. If you made a typo or genuinely need to change it sooner, you can contact Facebook through the Help Center, but they rarely make exceptions to the 60-day rule.

If Facebook rejected your name and said it violates community standards, try removing numbers, symbols, or repeated punctuation. If your name includes a title like "Dr." or "Jr.", try removing it — Facebook sometimes flags these as violations. If you believe your name was rejected by mistake, you can appeal through the Help Center by clicking the Let us know button on the rejection message.

If someone else changed your name without permission, change it back when ready using the same steps. Then find your account by changing your password and reviewing your login activity. Go to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Security and Login to see where your account has been accessed recently.

How Facebook name changes appear to others

When you change your name, everyone on your friends list sees the new name right away. Your old name does not appear anywhere on your profile or in comments. If someone tagged you in a photo under your old name, the tag still shows your new name. Old messages you sent before the change still show your new name, not the name you had when you sent them.

People who are not your friends can still see your name change if they visit your profile, but they cannot see a history of your past names. Only you can see a log of when you changed your name and what you changed it to. This log is in your Personal Information settings under the Name field.

Common mistakes to avoid when changing your name

Do not use all capital letters unless that is actually how you write your name. Facebook may flag "JOHN SMITH" as a violation if your real name is "John Smith". Do not add extra spaces or punctuation to make your name look different — "Mary . . . Jane" instead of "Mary Jane" will likely be rejected. Do not include your birth year, age, or location in your name field. These belong in other parts of your profile.

Do not change your name right before an important event like a job interview or first date if you are worried about how it looks to people searching for you. Your old name may still appear in search results and cached pages for a few days. If you are trying to distance yourself from an old online identity, changing your name on Facebook alone is not enough — you may need to adjust your privacy settings or deactivate old accounts elsewhere.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my name back to what it was before?

Yes, but you must wait 60 days from your last name change. If you changed your name yesterday and want to change it back, you cannot do so for 60 days. After that window closes, you can change it to anything you want, including your previous name.

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

No, Facebook does not send a notification when you change your name. Your friends will see your new name the next time they visit your profile or see you in their feed, but they are not alerted that a change happened. Some people may not notice for weeks.

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

No. Facebook requires one first name and one last name. You cannot add a middle name, nickname, or alternate name in the main name field. However, you can add a nickname or alternate name in your profile's "Also Known As" field if you want people to know you go by something else.

What happens to my old name in search results?

Search engines like Google may still show your old name in cached results for a while, but Facebook's own search will only show your new name. If someone searches for your old name on Facebook, they will not find you. If they search for your new name, your profile will appear.

Do I need to change my name on Messenger too?

No. Messenger uses the same name as your Facebook account. When you change your name on Facebook, it automatically changes on Messenger. You do not need to do anything separately.