How to Change Your Name on Facebook

Facebook is the most effective medium to stay connected with friends & family from across the globe. This renowned social media website also helps many businesses widen their reach, engage prospects, and increase brand awareness.

As of 2024, Facebook currently has 3.049 billion monthly active users amongst which 2.085 users are active daily. This massive ratio of daily active users signifies that more than 68% of monthly users log in to their Facebook accounts via their mobile or desktop daily.

So, how can you differentiate from more than 3 billion active users on a single social networking site? It can be easily done with your name.

One of the most common questions we have witnessed on the web is the name-changing process on Facebook. Before we list the steps that facilitate Facebook name change on your mobile app or desktop browser, let’s first know some of the facts when you face challenges with changing your name on this platform:

• You can change your name on Facebook once every 60 days for security reasons. However, it does not mean that Facebook allows you to frequently change the name every 60 days. You may have trouble changing your name if you keep on repeating this process. This is done to maintain user stability and prevent confusion or misuse of accounts.

Note: If you are changing your name on Facebook for fun, make sure you can live with that name for at least 2 months

• Your name does not follow Facebook’s name policy. We will discuss its name change policy in this article in the last section.
• If you were previously asked to confirm your name on Facebook, you may find obstruction in changing your name.
• Facebook has an ID list. If your name does not match the name that appears on the item from this list, you may not be able to complete the name change process.

If you face any of these issues while changing your name on Facebook, you can fill out this form to confirm your new name and process the request.

Now, if you want to change your name on this social media platform, you need to go to the Settings section of Facebook’s mobile app or its website on your desktop.

Let’s check out all the steps to implement to get this job done of changing your name on Facebook:

I. Change your Name on Facebook on the Desktop

Step 1: Open the Facebook app on your desktop or laptop and log in to your account. Tap your profile picture on the top right corner of the screen.

Step 2: Select ‘Settings and Privacy.’ Under this, choose ‘Settings.’

Step 3: Go to the Meta Accounts Centre section on the left side of the page and click ‘See more in Accounts Center.’

Step 4: Tap ‘Profiles’ and click on your Facebook profile.

Step 5: As you click on your personal profile, you get 4 options- Name, Username, Profile Picture and Avatar. Now, to change the name, we click on Name.

Step 6: Enter the new name and click ‘Review change.’

Step 7: You can also select the order you want your name to appear and tap ‘Done’ to save it.

II. Change your Name on Facebook on your Mobile

Step 1: Open the Facebook app on your mobile- Android or iOS

Note: All the screenshots listed below are taken on an iPhone. However, if you have Android, you must follow the same steps as iOS.

Step 2: Tap ‘Menu’ at the bottom right of the screen.

Step 3: Click on the ‘Settings and Privacy’ drop-down. This section will provide a few options such as Settings, Privacy shortcuts, Your time on Facebook, and more. Choose Settings.

Step 4: Select ‘See more in Accounts Centre’ and click ‘Profiles.’

Step 5: Now, you will get 4 options- Name, Username, Profile Picture and Avatar. You can change any of these by clicking any of the 4 options. Now, as we change the name on Facebook, we will select ‘Name’ here.

Step 6: Enter the new name and click ‘Review change.’

Step 7: You can also select the order you want your name to appear and tap ‘Done’ to save it.

It is not necessary to use your legal name on Facebook. Still, you need to consider some essential guidelines while keeping or changing your primary name on Facebook. Make sure your name does not include any of the following if you do not want your application to get rejected:

• Titles before names are prohibited, such as Lord, Dr., Mr., Mrs., and others.
• Users cannot change their names within 60 days of changing them previously on Facebook.
• Account holders cannot use unusual characters, symbols, repetitive phrases or punctuations.
• Facebook names should not impersonate anyone
• Use of fake names that fail to incorporate trademark or represent actual person
• Using suggestive or expletive words must be avoided
• You cannot use names representing any organization, business or idea. The sole reason is that Facebook says you can only create a Facebook account for individual use. However, you can create a Facebook page representing your company or business name.

Users can’t use multiple language characters or a mixture of lowercase or uppercase characters. For instance, Facebook will not allow anyone to write their name using a combination of English & Latin characters.

Nicknames can be used if you meet Facebook’s community standards and policies. Follow these steps if you want to use a nickname on Facebook:

Step 1: Once you open the Facebook app on your iPhone or Android, tap the ‘Menu’ icon at the bottom right of the screen.

Note: All the screenshots listed below are taken on an iPhone. However, if you have Android, you must follow the same steps as iOS.

Step 2: Scroll down the list and choose ‘Settings and Privacy’. Then, you will get other options; select ‘Settings.’

Step 3: Click on ‘See more in Accounts Center.’

Step 4: Select the option ‘Profiles’ which will open your Facebook Profile.

Step 5: Select ‘Name’ and then ‘Manage other Names.’

Step 6: Now, you only need to tap ‘Name Type’ (it could be your nickname, former spelling, birth name, alternative spelling, father’s name, maiden name, etc.) and click on ‘Save’.

While Facebook naming policies may seem strict, they are vital to protect users against phishing attacks, threats, online scams, and more. Make sure to adhere to all the Facebook’s community standards while you change your name on Facebook.

Remember, your profile may even get banned if you breach any of this platform’s guidelines. If you know any other tips to change your Facebook name that we may have missed, do let us know in the drop-down section.

Can I add more than 1 name on Facebook?

You can add a nickname, maiden name, alternative spelling, former spelling, birth name or father’s name on your Facebook profile along with your primary name. However, this social media platform does not allow you to add 2 primary names to your account.

Can I change my Facebook username?

Yes, you can change your Facebook username the same way you change your name. To change your username, tap ‘Username instead of ‘Name’ and click on ‘Review change.’

How can I lock my Facebook profile on my iPhone?

Once you open the Facebook app on your iOS device, tap ‘Menu’ at the bottom right of your screen. Select ‘Settings & Privacy’ and then ‘Settings.’ Under the ‘Audience and Visibility’ section, choose the ‘Profile Locking’ option and click ‘Lock your profile’.

Can I change my middle name on Facebook?

Yes, you can keep the same first and last name, and only change the middle name on Facebook.

How long does it take to reflect the name change on Facebook?

When you place the name change request on Facebook, it may take up to 3 days to reflect the change. This time is taken by the Facebook team to review your name change application.