You can change your name on Facebook through your settings, and the process takes about a minute

Facebook lets you change the name on your profile whenever you want. You go to your settings, find the name field, type in what you want to be called, and save it. The name you enter is what appears on your profile, in comments, and in tags. Facebook does have rules about what names it will accept — no numbers, no symbols, no all-caps text — but most ordinary names work fine.

The main thing to know before you start: Facebook tracks how often you change your name. If you change it more than once every 60 days, the system will lock you out of changing it again for 60 days. This is to stop people from using name changes to evade bans or hide from others. If you hit that limit, you will see a message telling you when you can change it next.

Key Takeaways

  • You change your name by going to Settings and Privacy, then Settings, then Personal Information, then Name — and typing what you want to be called.
  • Facebook will not accept names with numbers, symbols, accents on Latin letters, or text in all capitals, so keep your entry straightforward.
  • You can only change your name once every 60 days; if you change it twice in that window, Facebook will lock the feature for 60 days.
  • The name you set on Facebook is public and appears everywhere you interact on the platform — in comments, tags, messages, and your profile.

Step-by-step: changing your name on desktop

Open Facebook and look for the downward arrow in the top right corner of the screen. Click it. A menu will drop down with several options. Click Settings and Privacy, then click Settings.

On the left side of the screen, you will see a menu. Click Personal Information. You will see a section labeled Name with your current name displayed. Click on that section. A box will appear where you can type a new name. Delete the old text and type what you want your name to be. Click Review Change. Facebook will show you a preview of how the new name will look. If it looks right, click Save Changes. If you want to go back and edit it, click the back arrow.

That is the whole process. Your new name will show up on your profile and everywhere else on Facebook within a few minutes.

Step-by-step: changing your name on mobile

Open the Facebook app and tap the three horizontal lines (called a hamburger menu) in the bottom right corner. Scroll down and tap Settings and Privacy, then tap Settings.

Scroll down to Personal Information and tap it. Tap Name. A text box will open with your current name. Delete it and type your new name. Tap Review Change. Check that the preview looks right, then tap Save Changes.

What names Facebook will and will not accept

Facebook has a set of rules about what text it will accept as a name. The system is automated, so if your name does not fit the rules, the save will fail and you will see an error message.

Facebook will not accept: numbers (0–9), symbols like hyphens or apostrophes, accented letters (é, ñ, ü), text in all capital letters, or repeated characters (like "Jjjjjohn"). It also will not accept names that look like email addresses or URLs.

Most common names work fine. If you have a name with an apostrophe (like O'Brien) or a hyphen (like Mary-Jane), you may need to type it without the punctuation mark. If you have a name from another language with accented letters, try typing it without the accents. If the system still rejects it, you can contact Facebook's support team, though response times vary.

The 60-day rule: why you cannot change your name too often

Facebook limits name changes to once every 60 days. This means if you change your name on Monday, you cannot change it again until 60 days later. If you try to change it before that window closes, you will see a message saying you have to wait, and it will tell you the exact date when you can change it next.

The reason for this rule is to stop people from using name changes to hide from others or to evade account restrictions. It also reduces spam and abuse. The 60-day timer starts from the moment you save a change, not from when you start the process.

If you are locked out of changing your name, the only option is to wait until the 60 days are up. There is no way to speed this up or get an exception.

What happens to your old name after you change it

When you change your name, your old name disappears from your profile and from new posts and comments you make. However, old posts and comments you made under your previous name will still show that old name next to them. Facebook does not go back and update the history.

People who search for your old name will not find you in the results. If someone has you in their friends list, they will see your new name the next time they look at your profile or their friends list. Messages you sent before the change will still show your old name in the conversation thread.

Changing your name versus creating a new account

Some people wonder whether they should just create a new Facebook account instead of changing their name. The difference matters. When you change your name, you keep your friends, your photos, your messages, and your entire history. When you create a new account, you start from zero.

Changing your name is the right move if you want to keep your connections and your content. Creating a new account makes sense only if you want a completely fresh start and you are okay with losing access to everything on the old one. Remember that Facebook does not let you delete an account when ready — it takes 30 days — so if you create a new account, your old one will still exist for a month.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Yes. You can change your name to anything you want as long as you wait 60 days between changes. If you changed your name and now want to go back to your old name, you can do that — just wait until the 60-day window closes, then follow the same steps to change it back.

What if Facebook rejects my name and I do not know why?

The most common reasons are numbers, symbols, accents, or all capital letters. Try removing those and typing your name in regular format (first letter capitalized, rest lowercase). If it still does not work, you can report the problem to Facebook through their Help Center, though wait times for responses vary.

Will my friends see when I change my name?

Facebook does not send a notification to your friends when you change your name. They will see the new name the next time they visit your profile or see you in their friends list, but there is no alert or announcement about the change.

Can I use a nickname or a name that is not my legal name?

Yes. Facebook does not require you to use your legal name. You can use a nickname, a stage name, or any name that follows Facebook's formatting rules. The name you put on your profile is what matters — Facebook does not verify that it is your real legal name.

What if someone else is using my name on Facebook?

You can report the account to Facebook if someone is impersonating you or using your name to deceive others. Go to their profile, click the three dots in the top right, and select Report. Choose the reason that fits best (usually "This account is pretending to be me or someone else"). Facebook will review it, though the outcome depends on what they find.