The quickest way to change your Facebook profile name

Open Facebook and click the downward arrow in the top right corner, then select Settings and privacy followed by Settings. On the left side, click Personal information, then find the Name field. Click the pencil icon next to your current name, type your new name, and click Review change. Facebook will show you how your new name appears across the platform — click Save changes when you're ready.

The entire process takes about one minute. Your new name appears on your profile, in comments, in messages, and anywhere else your name shows on Facebook within a few minutes.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook name through Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Name, using the pencil icon to edit.
  • Facebook lets you change your name once every 60 days, so plan ahead if you need multiple changes.
  • Your new name appears across your entire profile, comments, messages, and friend lists within minutes of saving.
  • If you use a fake name or one that violates Facebook's naming rules, the platform may reject the change or disable your account.
  • You can include spaces, hyphens, periods, and numbers in your name, but Facebook blocks special characters like @ or &.

What names Facebook will and won't accept

Facebook requires names to follow its Community Standards for authentic identity. This means your name should be the name you go by in everyday life — the one your friends and family call you. Facebook blocks names that are entirely numbers, names with excessive punctuation, and names that look like they're trying to advertise something or include a business name.

You can use spaces, hyphens, periods, and apostrophes. You can also include numbers if they're part of your actual name (like a suffix such as "Jr." or "III"). Facebook will reject names with symbols like @, &, *, or !, and it will block names that appear to be fake, offensive, or designed to impersonate someone else.

If your name is genuinely unusual — for example, if it contains characters from another language or uses a non-standard spelling — Facebook may still accept it, but you may need to provide identification to confirm it's real. If your change is rejected, Facebook will tell you why and let you try again with a different name.

The 60-day waiting period between changes

Once you change your name, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This rule applies whether you're changing it back to your old name or switching to something completely different. The 60-day timer starts the moment you click Save changes, not when Facebook processes the change.

If you're planning to change your name, double-check the spelling and format before you save. If you make a typo or realize you want a different name, you'll have to wait two months before you can fix it. The only exception is if Facebook rejects your name for violating its rules — in that case, you can try a different name when ready.

How to change your name on mobile devices

On iPhone or Android, open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings & privacy, then tap Settings. Tap Personal information, then tap Name. Tap the pencil icon, type your new name, and tap Review change. Facebook will show you a preview — tap Save changes to confirm.

The mobile process is identical to the desktop version, and your new name syncs across all devices within minutes. If you're logged into Facebook on multiple devices, you don't need to change your name on each one separately.

What happens to your old name after you change it

Your old name disappears from your profile and from most places across Facebook. However, people who messaged you before the change will still see your old name in their message history — Facebook doesn't retroactively update old conversations. Your old name also stays visible in any comments you made before the change, though the comment itself remains yours.

Your friends' friend lists will show your new name when ready. If someone searches for your old name, they won't find you by that name anymore, but they can still find you by your new name or by your Facebook URL if you have a custom one set up.

If Facebook rejects your name change

If you see an error message saying your name doesn't follow Facebook's standards, the most common reasons are: the name contains special characters Facebook doesn't allow, the name is all numbers, the name looks like a business or advertisement, or the name appears to be fake or offensive. Read the error message carefully — it usually tells you which rule your name broke.

Try changing the name to something that follows the rules: use only letters, spaces, hyphens, periods, and apostrophes. If your name genuinely includes characters from another language or an unusual spelling, you may need to provide a government-issued ID to prove it's real. You can upload an ID by clicking the link in the error message, and Facebook will review it within a few days.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, but you have to wait 60 days from your last name change. If you changed your name and when ready regretted it, you're locked into the new name for two months. After that, you can change it back to your original name or to any other name that follows Facebook's rules.

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

No, Facebook doesn't send a notification to your friends when you change your name. However, they'll see your new name the next time they visit your profile or see you in their news feed. If you want people to know about the change, you can post about it or message them directly.

What if someone else is using my real name on Facebook?

You can still change your name to your real name even if someone else has it. Facebook allows multiple people to have the same name. If the other person is impersonating you or pretending to be you, you can report their account to Facebook, but you don't need to change your own name to do so.

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

Yes. Facebook's rule is that your name should be what you go by in everyday life, not necessarily your legal name. If your friends and family call you by a nickname and that's what you're known as, you can use that. However, if Facebook thinks your name is fake, you may need to provide ID to confirm it's genuine.

Does changing my name affect my Facebook URL or username?

No. Your Facebook URL (the web address of your profile) and your username are separate from your display name. Changing your name doesn't change your URL or username. If you want to change those, you'll need to go to Settings > Personal information > Username to edit your username separately.