Change Your Facebook Name in Settings

To change the name that appears on your Facebook profile, go to the menu in the top right corner of Facebook (the downward arrow), select Settings and privacy, then click Settings. On the left side, choose Personal information. Next to your name, click Edit, type your new name in the fields provided, and click Save changes.

Facebook will ask you to confirm the change. You may see a message saying you cannot change your name again for a certain period — usually 60 days. This cooldown applies whether your change was approved or rejected. After you confirm, your new name appears on your profile right away, though it may take a few minutes to show up everywhere on the site.

Key Takeaways

  • Access the name change tool through Settings and privacy, then Settings, then Personal information on the left menu.
  • Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between name changes, so choose carefully before you save.
  • Your new name appears on your profile when ready, but may take a few minutes to update across all Facebook pages and features.
  • If Facebook rejects your name change, you can appeal the decision or wait 60 days to try again with a different name.
  • Changing your Facebook name does not change your username (the part after facebook.com/), which requires a separate process.

What Name Format Facebook Accepts

Facebook requires names to follow certain rules. Your name must contain only letters, numbers, periods, hyphens, and apostrophes. Spaces are allowed between parts of your name. Facebook does not allow all-caps names, excessive punctuation, numbers that look like they replace letters (like "0" for "O"), or repeated characters.

Your name should be the name you go by in everyday life. Facebook may reject names that look like a business name, a title, a phrase, or something designed to be funny or offensive. If your name includes special characters that are part of your actual name — such as an accent mark in a non-English name — contact Facebook Support to request a manual review, as the system sometimes flags these incorrectly.

The 60-Day Waiting Period Between Changes

Once you change your name on Facebook, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This rule applies even if Facebook rejected your previous attempt. If you made a typo or changed your mind, you have to wait the full 60 days before trying again.

Because of this restriction, take time to make sure your new name is spelled correctly and is the one you actually want before you click save. If you realize you made a mistake when ready after changing your name, contact Facebook Support to explain the situation — they sometimes make exceptions for obvious typos, though there is no may provide they will reverse the change.

Changing Your Username Separately From Your Name

Your Facebook name and your username are two different things. Your name is what appears on your profile and in comments. Your username is the custom URL that comes after facebook.com/ — for example, facebook.com/marcus.chen. Changing one does not change the other.

To change your username, go to Settings and privacy, then Settings, then find Username on the left menu. Click Edit and type a new username. You can change your username once every 60 days, and it must be between 5 and 50 characters long. Usernames can contain letters, numbers, periods, and hyphens, but no spaces. When you change your username, your old URL stops working, so anyone with a link to your old profile will see an error.

What Happens When Facebook Rejects Your Name Change

If Facebook rejects your name change, you will see a message explaining why. Common reasons include using all capital letters, including numbers that look like letters, using a business or brand name, or including excessive punctuation or symbols.

You can appeal the rejection by clicking the option to request a review. Explain why your name should be allowed — for example, if it is a legitimate name from your culture or family. Facebook reviews appeals within a few days. If the appeal is denied, you must wait 60 days from the original rejection before you can try a different name. Do not repeatedly submit the same name; instead, adjust it slightly or wait for the cooldown period to end.

How Your Name Change Appears to Others

When you change your name, everyone on Facebook sees the new name when ready. Your old name does not appear anywhere on your profile or in your activity history. People who were tagged in old photos with you will still see those photos, but your name tag will show your current name, not the old one.

If you change your name frequently, some people may not recognize you right away. There is no notification sent to your friends telling them you changed your name, so if you want people to know, you may need to tell them directly or post about it on your timeline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my name more than once?

Yes, but only once every 60 days. The 60-day timer starts from the date you made the change, whether it was approved or rejected. If you need to change your name again before 60 days have passed, you will see a message telling you when you can make the next change.

What if my name has special characters or accents?

Facebook's system sometimes rejects names with accents, umlauts, or other diacritical marks, even though these are legitimate parts of real names. If your name is rejected, try submitting it again or contact Facebook Support to request a manual review. Explain that the characters are part of your actual name, and include your full name in your message.

Does changing my name on Facebook change it anywhere else?

No. Changing your Facebook name affects only your Facebook profile. It does not change your name on Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger, or any other service, even though Facebook owns those platforms. You would need to change your name separately on each service if you want them all to match.

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

Yes. Facebook allows you to use any name you go by in everyday life, including nicknames, stage names, or names from your culture that differ from your legal name. The name just has to follow Facebook's format rules and not look like a business name, title, or phrase designed to be funny or offensive.

What if I forgot what my old name was after I changed it?

Facebook does not show you a history of your past names. If you need to know what your previous name was, you can check old screenshots, messages from friends, or posts where people tagged you before the change. You cannot recover the old name through Facebook itself.