Change your Facebook display name from your account settings
To change your Facebook display name, open Facebook on any device, go to the menu in the top right corner, select Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Click Personal Information on the left side, find the Name field, and type your new name. Facebook will show you a preview of how it will appear across the platform. Click Review Change, confirm your new name, and save. The change takes effect when ready.
You can change your name on a phone or computer — the steps are the same. If you are using the Facebook app on your phone, tap the three horizontal lines (the menu icon) at the bottom right instead of the top right.
Facebook stores a record of all your name changes. If you change your name too many times in a short period, Facebook may temporarily lock you out of changing it again. The platform does this to prevent misuse, not as a punishment. You can try again after a waiting period, usually a few days to a week.
Key Takeaways
- Your display name changes when ready across all your Facebook posts, comments, and profile — friends see the new name right away.
- Facebook requires that your name follow community standards: no numbers, symbols, or repeated characters, and it must be the name you go by in everyday life.
- If you change your name repeatedly in a short time, Facebook will prevent you from changing it again for several days.
- Your old names remain visible in your activity log and to people who viewed your profile before the change, but your current name appears on all new activity.
What Facebook considers a valid name
Facebook has rules about what counts as a real name. Your name cannot contain numbers, special characters like asterisks or emoji, or excessive punctuation. You cannot use all capital letters, and you cannot repeat the same letter or character many times in a row.
Your name must be something you actually go by — not a business name, a nickname that is not part of your real identity, or a phrase. If your name includes a middle initial, accent marks, or a hyphen, Facebook will accept those. If you have a single name, a name with a prefix like "Dr." or "Jr.", or a name from a non-English language, Facebook will accept those too.
If Facebook rejects your name change, it will tell you why. The most common reasons are numbers in the name, too many symbols, or a name that does not match Facebook's definition of a real name. If you believe your name is valid and Facebook is wrong, you can appeal the decision by clicking the Help link in the rejection message.
How often you can change your name
You can change your Facebook name as often as you want, but there is a practical limit. If you change your name more than once every few days, Facebook will lock you out of making another change for a waiting period — usually between three and seven days, though Facebook does not publish the exact rule.
This limit exists to stop people from using name changes to evade bans or hide their identity repeatedly. If you hit this limit, you will see a message telling you when you can change your name again. The only way around it is to wait.
The difference between display name and username
Your display name is what appears on your profile and under your posts — it is what your friends see. Your username (also called your Facebook URL or handle) is the text that comes after facebook.com/ in your profile link. They are separate things, and changing one does not change the other.
Your display name can have spaces and capital letters. Your username cannot — it is all lowercase and has no spaces. If you want to change your username instead, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, then Username. You can change your username once every 60 days.
What happens to your old name
When you change your name, Facebook keeps a record of the change. Your old name does not disappear from the internet or from Facebook's servers. People who saw your profile before the change will remember your old name, and if they search for it, they may still find references to you under that name in their own memories or screenshots.
Your activity log — a record of everything you have posted, liked, and commented on — still shows your old posts under your old name if you look back far enough. Other people cannot see this log; only you can. On your profile, all your posts and activity now appear under your new name, even posts you made years ago.
Troubleshooting a name change that will not go through
If Facebook will not let you change your name, check these things first. Make sure your new name does not contain numbers, special characters, or excessive punctuation. Make sure it is not all capital letters. Make sure you are not changing your name too frequently — if you changed it within the last few days, wait a week and try again.
If none of those are the problem, your name may not match Facebook's definition of a real name. This happens most often with single names, names from non-English languages, or names with prefixes. If you believe your name is real and valid, click the Help link in the error message and submit an appeal. Facebook will review it, usually within a few days.
If you are still stuck, try logging out completely, clearing your browser cache, and logging back in. Sometimes a technical glitch prevents the name change from processing. If that does not work, try changing your name on a different device or browser.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Facebook name on my phone?
Yes. Open the Facebook app, tap the three horizontal lines at the bottom right, go to Settings and Privacy, then Settings. Tap Personal Information, then Name, type your new name, and tap Review Change. The process is the same as on a computer.
Will my friends get notified when I change my name?
No. Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your display name. They will see your new name the next time they visit your profile or see your posts, but they will not receive an alert about the change.
Can I use a fake name on Facebook?
Facebook's rules say your name must be the name you go by in everyday life. If you use a name that is not real, Facebook may disable your account or ask you to change it. If you have a legitimate reason to use a different name — you are in witness protection, you are a performer known by a stage name, or you are transgender and use a name different from your legal name — you can appeal to Facebook and explain your situation.
What if I want to change my name back to what it was before?
You can change your name back at any time, as long as you do not hit the rate limit. If you changed your name recently and want to change it again, you may have to wait a few days. After that waiting period, you can change it to anything you want, including your old name.
Does changing my name affect my Facebook friends list or messages?
No. Your friends list stays the same, and all your messages stay the same. People you have messaged with will see your new name in the conversation, but the conversation history does not change. Your new name appears on all future messages you send.