You can change your Facebook name directly in your account settings, and Facebook allows you to do this once every 60 days

To change your name on Facebook, go to the menu icon (three horizontal lines) in the bottom right corner of the app, or click the downward arrow in the top right on a computer. Select Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Scroll to Personal Information and tap or click Name. Type your new name in the fields provided and click Review Change. Facebook will show you how your new name will appear, and you can confirm or go back to edit it.

The change takes effect immediately once you confirm it. Your friends will see the update in their feeds, and your profile will reflect the new name right away. However, Facebook has a built-in restriction: you can only change your name once every 60 days. If you try to change it before that window closes, Facebook will tell you when you can make another change.

Key Takeaways

  • Access your name settings through the menu icon (mobile) or account dropdown (computer), then navigate to Personal Information.
  • Facebook allows one name change every 60 days, and the change is visible to your friends immediately.
  • Your new name must follow Facebook's naming standards, which generally require real names without numbers, symbols, or unusual spacing.
  • If Facebook rejects your name change, the platform will explain why and you can try again with a different name.

What names Facebook will and won't accept

Facebook has specific rules about what counts as a valid name. Your name cannot contain numbers, special characters like asterisks or hashtags, or excessive punctuation. Names with unusual spacing, repeated letters, or symbols designed to look like letters (like using a zero instead of the letter O) will be rejected. Facebook is designed to show real names, so the platform flags anything that looks like a username or nickname instead.

Accents, hyphens, and apostrophes are allowed in most cases. If your actual name includes these characters—like "José" or "O'Brien"—Facebook will accept them. If you have a name with multiple parts separated by spaces, like a first name, middle name, and last name, Facebook accepts that too. The platform simply wants to prevent fake names, spam accounts, and names designed to look like handles or brands.

What to do if Facebook rejects your name change

If you submit a name and Facebook rejects it, you will see a message explaining why. Common reasons include numbers in the name, special characters, or spacing that looks unnatural. Read the rejection message carefully—it usually tells you exactly what part of the name caused the problem.

Try removing numbers, symbols, or extra spaces and submit again. If your name genuinely includes characters Facebook flagged, you can appeal the decision. On the name change screen, look for an option to request a review or provide more information. You may need to upload a photo of an ID or other document that shows your legal name. Facebook's support team will review your request and may approve the name if it matches official documentation.

How your name change affects your privacy and tags

When you change your name on Facebook, the change applies everywhere on the platform—your profile, your comments, your posts, and your messages all show the new name. People who have already tagged you in photos or posts will see the new name going forward, but old tags are not retroactively updated. If someone tagged you as "Sarah Johnson" in a photo from 2019 and you change your name to "Sarah Chen," the old tag still shows "Sarah Johnson" in that photo's caption, but your profile and current activity show "Sarah Chen."

Your name change does not affect your privacy settings or who can see your profile. If your profile was private before the change, it remains private. If you had restricted who can see your posts, those restrictions stay in place. The name change is purely cosmetic—it updates what people see your name as, but does not change any of your account's security or visibility settings.

Changing your name on mobile versus desktop

The process is nearly identical on both mobile and desktop, but the navigation is slightly different. On an iPhone or Android phone, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) at the bottom right of the app. On a computer, click the downward arrow in the top right corner of the page. Both routes lead to Settings & Privacy and then Settings. From there, scroll or search for Personal Information and select Name.

Mobile users may find it easier to use the search function within Settings to jump directly to the Name field instead of scrolling. On desktop, you can also use your browser's find function (Ctrl+F or Cmd+F) to search for "Name" on the Settings page. Either way, the confirmation screen and 60-day restriction work the same on both platforms.

What happens if you change your name frequently

If you change your name every 60 days repeatedly, Facebook may flag your account as suspicious. The platform monitors for patterns that look like spam or account manipulation. Changing your name once or twice a year is normal and will not trigger any concerns. Changing it every month or cycling through many different names in a short period may cause Facebook to temporarily restrict your ability to change it again or ask you to verify your identity.

If you find yourself needing to change your name more often than the 60-day window allows, consider whether a nickname or middle name might work instead. You can also add a nickname to your profile separately from your legal name—go to Personal Information and look for Nicknames to add an alternate name that people can search for and see on your profile without triggering the 60-day restriction.

Using nicknames as an alternative to changing your legal name

Facebook lets you add nicknames to your profile separately from your legal name. This is useful if you go by a different name than what appears on your ID, or if you want people to know you by multiple names. To add a nickname, go to Settings & Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, and look for Nicknames. You can add up to four nicknames, and people can search for you using any of them.

Nicknames do not count against your 60-day name-change limit. You can add or remove nicknames as often as you want. This is a good option if you recently got married and want people to find you by both your maiden name and your married name, or if you go by a shortened version of your name professionally but use your full name on Facebook.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes, but you still have to wait 60 days between changes. If you changed your name and want to revert to your previous name, you can do so after the 60-day window closes. The system treats it as a regular name change, so the same rules and timing apply.

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

Your friends will see the name change in their feeds, similar to how they see other profile updates. Facebook does not send a separate notification, but the change is visible if they look at your profile or see your activity. Close friends may notice the change if they interact with you regularly.

Can I change my name if my account is new?

Yes, you can change your name on a new account. There is no waiting period before your first name change. However, if your account is very new (less than a few days old) and you try to change your name multiple times, Facebook may ask you to verify your identity to prevent spam or account takeover.

What if I share a name with someone famous or well-known?

Facebook allows multiple people to have the same name. You cannot claim an exclusive right to a name just because you share it with a celebrity or public figure. If you want to distinguish yourself, you can add a middle name, initial, or location to your profile, or use the nickname feature to help people find you.

Does changing my name affect my Facebook username or URL?

No. Your Facebook username (the custom URL you can set for your profile) is separate from your display name. Changing your display name does not change your username. If you want to change your username, you have to do that separately in your settings, and you can only change it once.