The quickest way to change your name on Facebook

You can change your Facebook profile name directly from your settings menu in about two minutes. Go to the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner of the app, or the downward arrow in the top right on desktop. Select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Tap or click Personal Information, then Name. Type your new name in the fields provided and tap Review Change or click Save Changes.

Facebook will show you a preview of how your new name will appear across the platform. Once you confirm, the change takes effect when ready. Your old name disappears from your profile, and everyone who visits your page will see the new one right away.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook name through Settings > Personal Information > Name on both mobile and desktop.
  • Facebook allows you to change your name once every 60 days, so plan ahead if you need multiple changes.
  • Your new name appears when ready across your profile, posts, comments, and messages to other users.
  • If Facebook rejects your name change, it is usually because the name violates their naming standards — numbers, symbols, or repeated characters often trigger a rejection.
  • You can include a middle name or nickname in your profile name by using the first and last name fields flexibly.

Understanding Facebook's 60-day waiting period

After you change your name, Facebook locks you out of making another change for 60 days. This is a platform-wide rule with no exceptions. If you change your name today, you cannot change it again until 60 days have passed, even if you made a typo or changed your mind.

Because of this restriction, take a moment to review your new name before you confirm the change. Check the preview screen carefully — once you save, you are committed to that name for two months. If you realize you made a mistake after confirming, you will have to wait the full 60 days before you can fix it.

What names Facebook will and will not accept

Facebook has specific rules about what characters and formats are allowed in a profile name. Your name must contain only letters, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes. Numbers, symbols, emojis, and repeated characters (like "Jjjjohn" or "Mary@@") will be rejected when you try to save.

Facebook also rejects names that appear to be fake or designed to impersonate someone else. If your name looks like a username, a business name, or a string of random characters, the system will ask you to revise it. Names that include titles like "Dr." or "Jr." are usually accepted, but names that are all caps or contain excessive punctuation often fail.

If your name is rejected, Facebook will tell you why and ask you to try again. Read the error message carefully — it will point you toward what needs to change. Most rejections are fixable by removing numbers, symbols, or unusual spacing.

How to use first and last name fields creatively

Facebook gives you two separate fields: first name and last name. You do not have to use them the traditional way. If your legal name is one word, you can put the whole thing in the first name field and leave the last name blank. If you go by a nickname professionally, you can put that in the first name field and your legal last name in the second.

Some people use the first name field for their full legal name and the last name field for a middle name or nickname they want displayed. Facebook will show both fields together on your profile, so experiment with the preview to see what looks right to you. Just remember that whatever you put in these fields must follow the character rules — letters, spaces, hyphens, and apostrophes only.

What happens to your old name after you change it

Your old name disappears from your profile when ready. It no longer appears on your timeline, in search results, or in the list of people your friends know. Anyone who visits your profile after the change will see only your new name.

However, your old name does not vanish from the internet entirely. If someone took a screenshot of your profile, or if your old name appears in an article or forum post, that record will still exist. Facebook itself does not keep a public history of your name changes, but the platform does keep an internal record for security purposes.

Changing your name on mobile versus desktop

The process is nearly identical on mobile and desktop, but the menu locations are slightly different. On the Facebook mobile app, tap the menu icon (three lines) at the bottom right, then Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Name. On desktop, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, then Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Name.

Both routes take you to the same name-change screen. The change you make on one device will when ready sync to all your other devices. If you start the process on your phone and finish it on your computer, or vice versa, Facebook will recognize it as a single change and explore the 60-day waiting period once.

Troubleshooting a rejected name change

If Facebook rejects your name, the most common reasons are numbers in the name, symbols or emojis, excessive punctuation, or a name that looks like a username or business page. Remove any numbers first — "Mary2024" will not work, but "Mary" will. Check for symbols like underscores, periods between words, or repeated characters.

If you have a hyphenated last name or an apostrophe (like "O'Brien" or "Smith-Jones"), those are allowed and should not cause a rejection. If your name is still rejected after you have removed numbers and symbols, try simplifying the spacing — remove extra spaces between words and make sure there is only one space between your first and last name.

If you believe your name is legitimate and Facebook is rejecting it in error, you can report the issue. Go back to the name-change screen, and after the rejection message appears, look for an option to report a problem or contact support. Explain that your name is real and follows Facebook's rules, and the support team will review it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I change my Facebook name more than once every 60 days?

No. Facebook enforces a strict 60-day waiting period between name changes. There are no exceptions, and you cannot bypass this limit by using a different device or account. If you need to change your name again, you must wait the full 60 days from your last change.

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

Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your name. However, if they visit your profile or see your posts in their feed, they will see your new name. Some people may notice the change if they interact with you regularly, but there is no automatic alert.

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

Yes, if your name includes accented letters (like é, ñ, or ü), Facebook will accept them. These are considered letters, not symbols. However, decorative symbols, numbers, and emojis are not allowed. If your name is spelled with accents in your language, you can use them in your Facebook profile.

What if I want to change my name back to my old one?

You can change your name back, but you will have to wait 60 days from your most recent change. If you changed your name today and want to revert tomorrow, you cannot — you must wait until the 60-day period expires. Then you can change it back to your original name or to something else.

Does changing my Facebook name affect my username or URL?

No. Your Facebook username (the custom URL you may have set up) is separate from your profile name. Changing your profile name does not change your username or the web address people use to find you. If you want to change your username, that is a different setting in your account.