The steps to change your Facebook name

To change your name on Facebook, open the app or website, click the downward arrow in the top right corner, and select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. On the left menu, click Personal Information, then find Name and click Edit. Type your new name in the fields provided — Facebook separates first name, middle name, and last name — then click Review Change and Save Changes.

The change takes effect immediately. Your new name appears on your profile, in comments, in messages, and anywhere else your name shows on Facebook. People who know you under your old name can still find you through your profile URL or by searching, but they will see your new name when they visit your profile.

Facebook limits how often you can change your name. If you have changed your name recently, you may see a message saying you cannot change it again for a certain period — usually 60 days. This limit resets after each change, so you cannot use it to cycle through multiple names in quick succession.

Key Takeaways

  • You reach the name change tool through Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, then the Edit button next to Name.
  • Facebook separates your name into first name, middle name, and last name fields, and you can leave the middle name blank.
  • The change is immediate and visible everywhere on your account, but people can still find you through your old profile URL or by searching your email or phone number.
  • Facebook enforces a waiting period between name changes, usually around 60 days, to prevent abuse.
  • Your new name does not change your login email or password — you still sign in with the same credentials.

What name format Facebook accepts

Facebook requires names to follow certain rules. Your name must contain only letters, numbers, periods, hyphens, and apostrophes. Spaces are allowed between parts of your name. Facebook does not allow all-caps names, names that are only numbers, or names that look like they are trying to impersonate someone else or advertise a business.

If you use a name that does not match your legal identity — for example, a stage name, nickname, or name from a different culture — Facebook may still accept it as long as it follows the format rules above. Facebook's policy is that you should use the name you go by in everyday life, not necessarily your legal name. However, if someone reports your name as fake, Facebook may ask you to provide ID to confirm you use that name.

Names with special characters from other languages — accents, umlauts, tildes, and so on — are allowed and work the same way as English names. If your name includes characters that are not on a standard keyboard, you can copy and paste them into the name field.

When Facebook locks you out of changing your name

If you have changed your name within the last 60 days, Facebook will not let you change it again until that period passes. The timer resets each time you make a change, so if you changed your name on January 1, you cannot change it again until around March 1. This applies even if you want to change it back to your original name.

If you see an error message when you try to change your name, it usually means one of three things: the name you entered breaks Facebook's format rules, you have already changed your name recently and are still in the waiting period, or Facebook has flagged your account for suspicious activity and temporarily locked the feature. If the message does not clearly say which one it is, try changing your name to something simple — like "John Smith" — to see if the problem is the format or the waiting period.

If your account has been flagged, you may need to wait a few days or verify your identity by uploading a photo ID. Facebook will tell you what step to take if this is the issue.

How your name change affects your privacy and tags

Changing your name does not change your privacy settings or who can see your profile. If your profile was public before, it stays public. If it was set to friends-only, it stays friends-only. Your new name is visible to whoever could see your old name.

Posts and comments you made under your old name will show your new name when people view them. If you tagged someone in a photo under your old name, the tag now shows your new name. Similarly, if someone tagged you in a photo, the tag shows your new name, not the old one. This means your name change is retroactive across your entire history on Facebook.

Your profile URL — the web address people use to visit your profile — does not change when you change your name. If your URL was facebook.com/john.smith.123, it stays that way even if you change your name to Jane Doe. This is useful because people who bookmarked your profile or have the link can still find you, even though your name has changed.

Changing your name on Facebook versus other platforms

If you use Facebook to sign into other apps or websites, changing your name on Facebook does not automatically change it on those other services. For example, if you use your Facebook account to sign into Spotify or a game, your name on Spotify or in the game stays the same until you change it separately in that app's settings. Each platform manages your name independently.

If you have a Facebook Page (for a business, public figure, or organization), you change the page name through a different process. Go to your Page, click Settings, then Edit Page Info, then Page Name. Pages have their own name change rules and waiting periods, which may differ from personal profiles.

If you have a Facebook Business Account or manage ads, changing your personal name does not change the name associated with your business account or ad account. You manage those separately through the Ads Manager or Business Suite.

What to do if you cannot change your name

If you have tried to change your name and Facebook keeps rejecting it, start by checking the format. Remove any special characters except periods, hyphens, and apostrophes. Make sure the name is not all capital letters. Try a simple test name like "Test User" to see if the problem is your specific name or a broader account issue.

If a simple name works but your preferred name does not, the issue is likely the format. Try adjusting the spelling, removing numbers, or removing special characters until Facebook accepts it. If you believe your name should be allowed under Facebook's rules, you can report the issue through Facebook's help center, though Facebook does not always overturn these decisions.

If even a simple name is rejected and you see a message about suspicious activity or account security, your account may have been flagged. Wait a few days and try again. If the problem persists, you may need to verify your identity by uploading a photo ID through Facebook's identity verification tool. Facebook will guide you through this process if it is required.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my name on Facebook change my email or password?

No. Your login email and password stay exactly the same. You sign in with the same credentials before and after the name change. Your name is only what appears on your profile and in your posts — it has nothing to do with how you access your account.

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

Yes, but only after the 60-day waiting period has passed since your last name change. If you changed your name on January 1 and want to change it back, you have to wait until around March 1. The waiting period applies whether you are changing to a new name or reverting to an old one.

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 your name change is significant, your friends may notice it the next time they visit your profile or see your posts. There is no activity log entry or alert that goes out to your network.

Can I have two different names on Facebook at the same time?

No. You have one name on your personal profile at any given time. If you want to use a different name for professional or personal reasons, you would need to create a separate Facebook account. However, Facebook's terms of service require you to use your authentic identity, so maintaining multiple accounts for the same person may violate those terms.

What happens to my name if my account gets hacked?

If someone gains access to your account, they can change your name along with other profile information. If you discover this has happened, change your password immediately and then change your name back. You can also report the unauthorized access to Facebook through the help center, and Facebook may be able to restore your account to a previous state if you act quickly.