The quickest way to change your Facebook name on mobile
Open the Facebook app on your phone and tap the three horizontal lines (menu icon) at the bottom right. Scroll down and tap Settings & Privacy, then Settings. Look for Personal Information and tap it. Select Name, then tap Edit. Type your new name in the fields provided — Facebook splits this into first and last name — and tap Review Change. Facebook will show you how your new name appears. Tap Save Changes to confirm.
The whole process takes about two minutes. Your new name appears on your profile and in comments and posts immediately, though it may take a few minutes to show up everywhere across Facebook's systems.
Key Takeaways
- You can change your Facebook name directly from the mobile app by going to Settings & Privacy > Settings > Personal Information > Name.
- Facebook allows you to change your name once every 60 days, so plan ahead if you need multiple changes.
- Your new name shows up right away on your profile and posts, but may take a few minutes to appear in all places across the platform.
- If you see an error message saying you cannot change your name, you may have already changed it recently or Facebook flagged the name as suspicious.
Understanding Facebook's name change rules
Facebook enforces a 60-day waiting period between name changes. If you changed your name recently, you will see a message telling you when you can change it again. This rule exists to prevent account takeovers — if someone gains access to your account, they cannot immediately hide their activity by changing your name repeatedly.
Facebook also has rules about what names are allowed. The platform does not accept names that look like they are trying to impersonate someone else, contain numbers or symbols in unusual ways, or appear to be spam. If you try to change your name to something Facebook's system flags, you will get an error message. The message usually tells you why — for example, "Names cannot contain numbers" or "This name may not follow our naming standards."
If you are changing your name for safety reasons — such as escaping a situation where someone is harassing you — you can change it more than once every 60 days. Contact Facebook's support team through the app and explain the situation. They can sometimes override the waiting period.
What happens when you change your name
Your new name appears on your profile, in your comments, and in posts you make. People who already know you will see the change, but Facebook does not send a notification to your friends saying "this person changed their name." Your old name does not appear anywhere on your profile after the change.
If you have a business page or creator account linked to your personal profile, changing your personal name does not change the business page name. You would need to change that separately through the business page settings.
Your username (the part that comes after facebook.com/ in your profile link) does not change when you change your display name. These are two separate things. If you want to change your username as well, you can do that in the same Personal Information section, but usernames have their own rules and can only be changed once.
Troubleshooting if the change does not work
If you see an error message when trying to change your name, the most common reason is that you changed it within the last 60 days. Check the error message — it will tell you the exact date you can change it again. If the message says something about your name not following naming standards, try removing numbers, symbols, or extra spaces.
If you are trying to use a name in a different alphabet or script (Arabic, Chinese, Cyrillic, and others), Facebook does support these, but the system sometimes flags them incorrectly. Try removing any accents or special characters first. If that does not work, try again in a few hours — sometimes the system needs time to process.
If you cannot access the Personal Information section at all, make sure you are using the latest version of the Facebook app. Go to your phone's app store (Google Play for Android, App Store for iPhone) and check for updates. Close the app completely and reopen it after updating.
Changing your name on Facebook Web versus mobile
The steps are slightly different if you use Facebook on a computer instead of the mobile app. On the web version, you click the downward arrow at the top right, select Settings & Privacy, then Settings, and navigate to Personal Information the same way. The process is the same — you still see the 60-day waiting period and the same name rules apply.
If you start a name change on mobile and want to finish it on a computer (or vice versa), you can do that. The change carries over across devices because it is tied to your account, not your phone or browser.
Keeping your account secure when changing your name
Changing your name is a normal account action and does not affect your security. However, if you are changing your name because someone is harassing you or you are concerned about your safety, take a few extra steps. Review who can see your profile by going to Settings > Privacy and making sure your profile is set to Friends Only or Private. Block the person harassing you by searching for their name, visiting their profile, and tapping the three dots menu, then Block.
If someone else changed your name without your permission, that is a sign your account may have been compromised. Change your password immediately by going to Settings > Security and Login > Change Password. If you cannot log in, use Facebook's account recovery process at facebook.com/login/identify to regain access.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I change my Facebook name more than once every 60 days?
Not normally. The 60-day rule applies to everyone. However, if you are changing your name for safety reasons — such as escaping harassment or a dangerous situation — you can contact Facebook's support team and request an exception. They sometimes allow it in these cases.
What if I want to use a nickname or stage name instead of my legal name?
Facebook allows nicknames and stage names as long as they follow the naming standards. They cannot contain numbers or symbols in unusual ways, and they cannot look like spam. If your stage name gets flagged, try removing numbers or special characters and submit it again.
Does changing my name affect my friends list or messages?
No. Your friends list stays the same, and all your messages remain in your inbox. People you have messaged with will see your new name the next time they open a conversation with you, but the conversation history does not change.
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 change it back, you can do that after 60 days have passed from your last change. The system treats it as a regular name change, not a reversal.
What if Facebook says my name violates their standards?
This usually means the name contains numbers, symbols, or characters in a way Facebook's system flagged as suspicious. Try removing numbers and extra spaces, or using only letters. If you are using a non-English alphabet, try removing accents or special marks. If it still does not work, wait a few hours and try again — sometimes the system needs time to process.