Change Your Facebook Profile Name in Four Steps

To change the name on your Facebook profile, open Facebook on any device, go to your profile, click the pencil icon next to your name, type your new name, and click the "Review Change" button to save it. The whole process takes about one minute. Facebook stores your old name in your activity log, so you can see what you were called before and change it again whenever you want.

You can change your name as often as you like, but Facebook enforces a waiting period: if you changed your name in the last 60 days, you will have to wait until that period ends before you can change it again. This limit exists to prevent account hijacking and impersonation.

Key Takeaways

  • Open your Facebook profile, click the pencil icon next to your name at the top, and type your new name into the text box that appears.
  • Click "Review Change" to see how your new name will look across Facebook, then click "Save Changes" to confirm.
  • You must wait 60 days between name changes, so plan ahead if you need to update your name more than once.
  • Your old name stays in your activity log and is visible only to you, so you can track what names you have used.
  • Facebook has rules about what characters and formats it accepts—numbers and special characters are usually rejected unless they are part of a real name.

Where to Find the Name Change Option

Start by opening Facebook and navigating to your profile. On a computer, click your profile picture in the top right corner and select "Profile" from the menu. On a phone or tablet, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, scroll down, and tap your name to open your profile.

Once you are on your profile page, look at the top section where your name appears. You will see a small pencil icon (edit button) next to your name. Click or tap that pencil icon. A text box will open showing your current name with a cursor ready for you to type.

Typing and Reviewing Your New Name

Clear the text box completely and type the name you want to use. You can use letters, numbers, accents, and some special characters, but Facebook rejects names that look fake or are formatted strangely. For example, "John Smith" works, but "J0hn $mith" (with a zero and dollar sign) will be rejected because it does not look like a real name.

After you type your new name, click the "Review Change" button. Facebook will show you a preview of how your name will appear on your profile, in comments, in posts, and in search results. Look at this preview carefully—this is your final note to catch a typo before the change goes live. If the preview looks correct, click "Save Changes" to finish.

Understanding the 60-Day Waiting Period

Once you change your name, you cannot change it again for 60 days. This timer starts the moment you click "Save Changes." If you try to change your name before the 60 days are up, Facebook will show you a message telling you when you will be able to change it next.

The waiting period is a security measure. It makes it harder for someone who gains access to your account to hide their tracks by changing your name repeatedly. If you suspect someone else has changed your name without permission, you can report it to Facebook and request an exception to the 60-day rule.

What Names Facebook Will and Will Not Accept

Facebook has specific rules about what counts as a valid name. Your name should use real letters and can include accents (like é or ñ), hyphens, apostrophes, and spaces. Numbers are usually rejected unless they are genuinely part of your name—for example, "George 2nd" might work, but "George2" will not.

Facebook rejects names that include symbols like @, #, $, or %, names that are all numbers, names that look like usernames (with underscores or dots), and names that appear to be fake or designed to confuse other users. If your name is rejected, try removing numbers or special characters and resubmit. If you have a legitimate reason to use numbers or symbols in your name—because that is actually your legal name—you can contact Facebook's support team to request an exception.

Viewing Your Name Change History

Facebook keeps a record of every name you have used on your account. Only you can see this history. To view it, go to your profile, click the three-dot menu icon in the top right, and select "Activity Log." In the Activity Log, look for the filter on the left side and select "Profile Changes" or search for "name." You will see a list of every time you changed your name, along with the date of each change.

This history is useful if you forget what name you used before or if you want to verify that a name change was made by you and not by someone else. If you see a name change you did not make, change your password when ready and report the unauthorized change to Facebook.

What Happens to Your Old Name After You Change It

Your old name does not disappear from Facebook's system. It stays in your activity log and in any messages or comments you made before the change. If someone sent you a message when your name was "Sarah Johnson" and you later change it to "Sarah Lee," that message will still show it came from "Sarah Johnson" at the time it was sent.

Your profile picture, cover photo, and all your posts stay the same—only your name changes. People who were following you before the change will continue to follow you after, and your friends list does not change. Your username (the custom URL you may have set up, like facebook.com/yourname) is separate from your display name and does not change unless you change it separately.

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. Once the 60-day period is over, you can change your name to anything you want, including a previous name. Go back to your profile, click the pencil icon, type your old name, and save the change.

What if Facebook says my name is not allowed?

Facebook rejected your name because it contains numbers, symbols, or formatting that does not match a real name. Try removing numbers and special characters and resubmit. If your name genuinely includes numbers or symbols—for example, if your legal name is "Mary-Jane" or "José"—contact Facebook's support team and explain. They can sometimes override the filter.

Will my friends see when I change my name?

Your friends will see your new name the next time they visit your profile or see you in their news feed. Facebook does not send a notification about name changes, so most people will not notice unless they are looking at your profile. Your old name will not appear in their messages or on their screens.

Can I change my name on Facebook if I do not have a phone number on file?

Yes. Your phone number is not required to change your name. You only need to be logged into your account and able to access your profile. If you are having trouble accessing your profile, you may need to verify your identity using a phone number or email, but the name change itself does not require one.

What is the difference between my Facebook name and my username?

Your name is what appears on your profile and in comments—it is what your friends see. Your username is the custom URL you can set up (like facebook.com/yourname). You change your name from your profile; you change your username from your settings. They are separate, and changing one does not affect the other.