Change your display name in three steps

Your Twitter display name—the one that appears above your posts and in search results—can be changed anytime from your account settings. You do not need to create a new account or verify your identity. The change takes effect when ready across the platform.

Go to your profile icon in the top right corner and select Settings and privacy. Then choose Account, then Account information. Find the field labeled Name and type in what you want to be called. Twitter allows up to 50 characters, including spaces and punctuation. Click Save when you are done.

Your @username (the handle that starts with @) is separate from your display name and follows different rules. Changing your username requires a different process and has restrictions based on how long you have owned the account.

Key Takeaways

  • Your display name can be changed when ready from Settings and privacy > Account > Account information, with no verification required.
  • Display names can be up to 50 characters and can include spaces, numbers, and most punctuation marks.
  • You can change your display name as often as you want, and the change shows up when ready to everyone following you.
  • Your @username is different from your display name and has separate rules about how often you can change it.
  • Changing your display name does not affect your followers, your tweets, or your account history.

Where to find the name field on different devices

On a desktop or laptop, log into Twitter and click your profile icon in the top right. Select Settings and privacy from the dropdown menu. On the left sidebar, click Account, then click Account information. The Name field appears near the top of the page, above your bio.

On the Twitter mobile app for iPhone or Android, tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the top left. Scroll down and tap Settings and privacy. Tap Account, then Account information. The Name field is at the top. Type your new name and tap Save.

If you use Twitter through a web browser on your phone, the desktop steps above work the same way—the layout adjusts to fit your screen.

What characters and lengths are allowed

Twitter allows display names up to 50 characters long. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, underscores, and most punctuation marks including periods, commas, and parentheses. You cannot use certain symbols like @ or # in your display name, though these are allowed in your bio.

Your display name does not have to be unique—multiple people can have the same display name. Only your @username must be unique on Twitter. This means you can change your display name to match someone else's if you want, and they can do the same.

Twitter does not filter or restrict display names based on content the way some platforms do. You can change your name to anything within the character limit, though your account remains subject to Twitter's overall rules about harassment and hateful conduct.

The difference between display name and @username

Your display name is what people see when they look at your profile or read your tweets. It appears in large text at the top of your profile page. Your @username (or handle) is the unique identifier that starts with @ and appears below your display name. When someone wants to mention you in a tweet, they use your @username, not your display name.

You can change your display name as many times as you want with no restrictions. Your @username can be changed, but Twitter limits how often you can do this. If you have changed your username recently, you may need to wait before changing it again. The exact waiting period is not published by Twitter, but it is typically a few weeks.

If you want to change your @username instead of your display name, go to Settings and privacy > Account > Account information and look for the Username field. Type a new handle (without the @ symbol) and click Save. Twitter will tell you if the username is already taken or if you need to wait before changing it again.

What happens to your account when you change your name

Changing your display name does not affect any of your tweets, likes, followers, or following list. All your old tweets stay exactly as they are, and people who follow you continue to follow you. Your follower count does not change, and you do not lose any verification badges or account features.

If someone was following you under your old name, they are still following you under your new name. If someone had bookmarked or saved one of your tweets, that bookmark stays intact. Your profile URL (the web address people use to visit your profile) stays the same because it is based on your @username, not your display name.

The change is visible to everyone when ready. People who visit your profile will see your new name right away. There is no delay or approval process—Twitter does not review display name changes before they go live.

Changing your name back or making frequent changes

You can change your display name back to what it was before, or change it to something completely different, as many times as you want. There is no limit on how often you can update your display name. Some people change theirs daily or weekly without any penalty to their account.

Frequent display name changes do not trigger any warnings or restrictions from Twitter. Your account will not be flagged or suspended for changing your name repeatedly. However, if you use name changes as part of a coordinated effort to harass, impersonate, or mislead other users, that behavior could violate Twitter's rules.

If you change your name and then want to go back to your previous name, straightforward follow the same steps and type in the old name. Twitter keeps no history of your past display names, so you will need to remember what it was if you want to restore it exactly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my name if my account is suspended or locked?

No. If your account is locked or suspended, you cannot access Settings and privacy until the issue is resolved. Contact Twitter's support team through the help center to address the suspension first, then you can change your name once your account is unlocked.

Does changing my display name affect my Twitter verification badge?

No. If you have a verification badge (the blue checkmark), it stays with your account regardless of what name you use. Changing your display name does not remove the badge or require you to reverify.

What if the name I want is already taken?

Display names are not unique on Twitter, so you can use any name even if someone else already has it. If you are trying to change your @username and it is taken, Twitter will tell you and suggest alternatives. You can only use an @username that is not already claimed by another account.

Will my old tweets show my new name or my old name?

Your old tweets will show your new display name when people view them. Twitter updates your name across all your tweets retroactively, so there is no record of what your old name was unless someone took a screenshot.

Can I use special characters or emojis in my display name?

You can use most punctuation marks and special characters, but not all. Emojis are allowed in display names. Try typing what you want—if Twitter rejects it, you will see an error message telling you which characters are not allowed, and you can remove them and try again.