The quickest way to change your Facebook name

To change your Facebook profile name, open Facebook on any device, go to your profile, click the pencil icon next to your name at the top, type your new name, and click the "Review Change" button. Facebook will show you how your new name appears across the platform, and you can confirm or go back to edit it. The change takes effect when ready once you confirm.

You can change your name on Facebook as often as you want, but there is a built-in delay: if you changed your name in the last 60 days, you will not be able to change it again until that 60-day window closes. This is a safety measure to prevent account takeovers.

The process works the same way on mobile and desktop, though the exact location of buttons shifts slightly between the Facebook app, the mobile website, and the full desktop site.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook name by clicking the pencil icon next to your name on your profile and typing a new one.
  • Facebook requires you to wait 60 days between name changes, even if you only changed it once.
  • Your new name appears across your profile, messages, comments, and posts when ready after you confirm the change.
  • Facebook has rules about what characters and formats it will accept — numbers, spaces, and hyphens are allowed, but symbols and all-caps names may be rejected.
  • If Facebook rejects your name change, the rejection message will tell you why, and you can edit and try again.

Step-by-step instructions for desktop

On a computer, log into Facebook and click your profile picture in the top right corner. Select "Profile" from the dropdown menu. At the top of your profile, you will see your name with a small pencil icon next to it — click that pencil.

A text box will open with your current name highlighted. Delete it and type your new name. You can use letters, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and periods. Click the "Review Change" button below the text box. Facebook will show you a preview of how your new name will look on your profile and in comments and messages.

If the preview looks correct, click "Confirm" to save the change. If you want to edit it, click "Cancel" and the text box will reopen so you can type again. Once you confirm, the change is live when ready.

Step-by-step instructions for mobile

On the Facebook app or mobile website, tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) in the bottom right corner on iPhone or the top right on Android. Scroll down and tap "Settings & Privacy," then tap "Settings." Scroll to the "Personal Information" section and tap "Name."

The name field will open. Delete your current name and type your new one. Tap "Review Change" at the bottom of the screen. Facebook will show you a preview of your new name as it will appear across the app.

If it looks right, tap "Confirm." If you need to edit it, tap "Cancel" and the field will reopen. The change takes effect right away once you confirm it.

What Facebook will and will not accept as a name

Facebook has rules about what it considers a valid name. You can use letters from any language, numbers, spaces, hyphens, and periods. You cannot use symbols like @, #, $, or &. You also cannot use all capital letters — if you type a name in all caps, Facebook will convert it to standard capitalization (first letter of each word capitalized).

Facebook will reject names that look like they are trying to impersonate a public figure or brand, names that are obviously fake or nonsensical (like "aaaaaa" or "xyz123xyz"), and names that contain offensive language. If your name is rejected, Facebook will tell you which rule it broke, and you can edit and try again.

Your name does not have to match your legal name, and Facebook does not ask you to prove it. However, if someone reports your name as fake, Facebook may ask you to change it or provide identification.

The 60-day waiting period between name changes

Once you change your name on Facebook, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This applies even if you change it back to your original name or change it to something very similar. The 60-day timer starts the moment you confirm the change, not when you first click the pencil icon.

If you try to change your name before the 60 days are up, Facebook will show you a message saying "You can change your name again in X days" and will not let you proceed. The only way around this is to wait for the timer to expire.

This delay exists to prevent someone who has taken over your account from changing your name repeatedly to lock you out or damage your reputation.

What happens to your old name after you change it

Your old name disappears from your profile when ready. It does not show up anywhere on Facebook — not on your profile, not in your friends' friend lists, and not in search results. However, old comments and posts you made under your previous name will still show your new name when people view them.

If you had a custom Facebook URL (like facebook.com/yourname), it will still work and direct people to your profile, even though your name has changed. You do not need to update it.

People who were messaging you before the change will still see the conversation thread, but your name in that thread will update to your new name. There is no way to keep your old name visible in old messages.

If Facebook rejects your name change

If you see an error message when you try to confirm your name change, Facebook will tell you why. The most common reasons are that the name contains symbols Facebook does not allow, that it looks like an impersonation of a public figure, or that you are within the 60-day waiting period from your last change.

To fix it, go back to the name field, read the error message carefully, and edit your name to follow the rules. For example, if you used a symbol, remove it. If Facebook says the name looks fake, try adding a middle initial or a space between parts of your name to make it look more like a real name.

If you believe Facebook rejected your name by mistake, you can click "Report a Problem" in the error message and explain your situation. Facebook will review it, but this process can take several days.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Facebook name to something completely different from my real name?

Yes. Facebook does not require your name to match your legal name or government ID. You can use any name you want as long as it follows Facebook's formatting rules and does not impersonate someone else or look obviously fake. If someone reports it, Facebook may ask you to change it.

What if I changed my name by mistake and want to change it back right away?

You will have to wait 60 days, even if you want to change it back to your original name. The 60-day rule applies to all name changes, regardless of what you are changing it to. There is no exception for correcting mistakes.

Does changing my Facebook name affect my Messenger account or Instagram?

Your Messenger name updates automatically when you change your Facebook name, since they are linked to the same account. If you also have an Instagram account linked to the same Facebook account, your Instagram display name will not change automatically — you will need to update it separately in Instagram settings.

Can I use special characters like accents or umlauts in my Facebook name?

Yes. Facebook accepts letters and accents from all languages, including é, ñ, ü, and others. You can type them directly if your keyboard supports them, or copy and paste them from another source. Symbols like @, #, and $ are not allowed.

Will my friends be notified when I change my Facebook name?

No. Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your name. They will see your new name the next time they visit your profile or see you in a comment or message, but they will not receive an alert about the change.