The fastest way to change your Facebook name

Open Facebook on any device, go to your profile by clicking your profile picture in the top right corner, and select Settings and privacy > Settings. On the left menu, click Personal information, then find Name and click Edit. Type your new first and last name in the fields that appear, click Review change, and then Save changes. The new name appears on your profile immediately.

If you are on a mobile phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right, scroll down to Settings and privacy, tap Settings, scroll to Personal information, tap Name, and enter your new name. The process is the same on both iPhone and Android.

Key Takeaways

  • You can change your Facebook name through Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Name on any device.
  • Facebook allows you to change your name once every 60 days, so plan ahead if you need multiple changes.
  • Your new name appears immediately on your profile, but may take a few minutes to update across all Facebook features like Messenger and comments.
  • You can use your real name, a nickname, a middle name, or a combination — Facebook does not require legal documentation to verify your identity.

Understanding Facebook's 60-day name change limit

Facebook restricts how often you can change your name to once every 60 days. This means if you changed your name on January 15, you cannot change it again until March 15. The timer resets each time you make a change, not on a calendar date.

If you try to change your name before 60 days have passed, Facebook will show a message telling you when you can change it next. There is no way to bypass this limit, so if you made a mistake, you will need to wait until the window opens before correcting it.

What names Facebook will and will not accept

Facebook does not require you to use your legal name. You can use a nickname, a middle name, initials, a stage name, or any combination of letters and numbers that Facebook's system recognizes as a real name. The platform does not ask for ID or birth certificates to verify your identity.

Facebook will reject names that contain only numbers, names that are entirely in symbols or special characters, or names that look like spam or advertising. Extremely long names (more than about 50 characters) may also be rejected. If your name change is rejected, try removing numbers, shortening it, or removing special characters and resubmit.

How long it takes for your new name to appear everywhere

Your new name shows on your profile page within seconds of saving the change. However, it may take a few minutes to update in other places like your comments, posts, Messenger conversations, and the search results when someone looks you up. This delay is normal and happens because Facebook's systems need time to sync the change across all its features.

If your new name does not appear in some places after 10 minutes, try refreshing the page or logging out and back in. In rare cases, a full sync can take up to an hour, but this is uncommon.

Changing your name on Facebook Messenger

Your Messenger name updates automatically when you change your Facebook profile name — you do not need to change it separately. The name that appears in Messenger conversations is always pulled from your current Facebook profile name.

If you want a different display name just for Messenger conversations (separate from your profile), you cannot do this. Messenger does not have its own name settings. The only way to have a different name in Messenger is to change your Facebook profile name.

What happens to your old name after you change it

When you change your name, your old name disappears from your profile and from most places on Facebook. People who knew your old name will see your new name when they visit your profile or interact with you. Old posts and comments you made under your previous name will still show your new name when viewed.

Facebook does not keep a public record of your name changes, so people cannot see a history of what you used to be called. However, Facebook's internal systems do track name changes for security purposes, and if someone reports your account for impersonation or fraud, Facebook can review your name change history.

Troubleshooting a name change that will not save

If you click Save changes and nothing happens, or you get an error message, first check that you have entered a name Facebook recognizes as real. Remove any numbers, symbols, or unusual characters and try again. Make sure you are not trying to change your name again within 60 days of your last change.

If the problem continues, try logging out completely, closing your browser, and logging back in. Then navigate to Settings and privacy > Settings > Personal information > Name and attempt the change again. If you still cannot save, try using a different browser or device. If none of these steps work, contact Facebook through the Help Center by going to Settings and privacy > Help and support > Report a problem.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, you can change your name back to a previous name as long as 60 days have passed since your last change. Facebook does not prevent you from reusing old names. Simply go to Settings > Personal information > Name and enter your old name.

Will my friends be notified when I change my name?

Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your name. They will see your new name the next time they visit your profile or interact with you, but they will not receive an alert about the change.

Can I use special characters or emojis in my Facebook name?

Facebook allows some special characters like hyphens, apostrophes, and periods in names, but not emojis or symbols. If you try to use an emoji or special symbol, Facebook will reject the change and ask you to use only letters, numbers, and basic punctuation.

What if someone else is using my real name on Facebook?

If another person is using your name and impersonating you, report their account to Facebook. Go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right, select Report, and choose It's pretending to be someone. Facebook will investigate and may remove the account if it violates their rules.

Does changing my name affect my Facebook username or URL?

No. Your Facebook username (the part of your profile URL that comes after facebook.com/) is separate from your display name and does not change when you update your name. You can change your username separately through Settings > Personal information > Username if you want a different URL.