A good Facebook username is short, straightforward to spell, and something you won't regret in five years

Your Facebook username is the web address people use to find your profile — it appears in the URL bar as facebook.com/yourname. Unlike your display name, which you can change anytime, your username can only be changed once every 60 days. That means it pays to think it through before you set it.

The best usernames are ones you'll recognize as yours, that other people can actually type without asking you how to spell it, and that won't embarrass you if a future employer or colleague searches for you. A username like "sarah.martinez" or "jsmith1987" does all three. A username like "xXshadow_ninja420Xx" might feel right today and feel wrong tomorrow.

Key Takeaways

  • Facebook usernames must be between 5 and 50 characters and can include letters, numbers, periods, and underscores — but not spaces or special characters like hyphens.
  • You can only change your username once every 60 days, so test how it looks and sounds before you commit to it.
  • Shorter usernames are easier for people to type and remember, and they look cleaner in your profile URL.
  • Avoid numbers that date you (like birth years), slang that might not age well, or anything you wouldn't want a professional contact to see.
  • If your first choice is taken, try adding a period or underscore rather than stacking numbers at the end.

What characters Facebook actually allows

Facebook usernames can contain letters (a–z, A–Z), numbers (0–9), periods (.), and underscores (_). That's it. You cannot use spaces, hyphens, apostrophes, or any other punctuation. The username must be between 5 and 50 characters long.

If you try to use a character Facebook doesn't allow, the site will reject it and tell you which characters are invalid. This is one reason to test your username before you finalize it — you might have a character in mind that won't work, and you'll want to know that before you've already told people how to find you.

Why shorter is almost always better

A username like "sarah" is better than "sarah.elizabeth.martinez.1995" because people can type it faster, remember it more easily, and it looks cleaner when someone shares your profile link. Short usernames are also less likely to have typos when someone tries to find you.

If your name alone is taken, try adding a single number or a period before or after your name rather than building a long string. "sarah.m" or "sarah1" is still short enough to be practical. If you add too many numbers or underscores, you've defeated the purpose — people will forget which numbers go where.

Avoid things that will feel dated in a few years

Birth years, slang terms, and references to trends that are popular right now often feel awkward later. A username like "sarah1987" dates you every year. A username built around a meme or a celebrity who's currently famous can feel stale in 18 months. A username with slang like "lit" or "salty" might not even make sense to someone reading it in five years.

The safest approach is to use your actual name, a variation of your name, or something neutral and descriptive about you — your profession, a hobby, a place you love. These things tend to stay relevant. If you do want to include a number, consider using something meaningful to you rather than your birth year — a favorite number, a house number, or a year that matters to you for a different reason.

Think about who might search for you

Your Facebook username is public. A future employer, a teacher, a client, or someone you haven't spoken to in years might search for you using it. That doesn't mean your username has to be boring, but it does mean it should be something you'd be comfortable explaining or defending.

If your username is something like "party_animal_2024" or "420blazeit", you're not breaking any rules, but you're also making a choice about what impression you want to give. There's no judgment here — just clarity. If you're comfortable with that impression, go ahead. If you're not, pick something else.

What to do if your first choice is taken

Most common names are already claimed on Facebook. If "john.smith" is taken, don't when ready jump to "john.smith.1234" or "john_smith_official". Try these alternatives first: add a middle initial ("john.p.smith"), use a period in a different spot ("j.smith" or "johnsmith"), or add a single meaningful number.

You can also search for the username you want before you try to claim it — Facebook will tell you if it's available. If it's not available, the site will suggest similar usernames that are open. Some of those suggestions will be useful; others will be cluttered with numbers. You don't have to use Facebook's suggestions, but they can give you ideas for variations that might work.

How to change your username if you regret it

You can change your Facebook username once every 60 days. To do this, go to your profile, click the three-line menu, select "Settings and privacy," then "Settings," then scroll to "Username" and click "Edit." Facebook will show you your current username and let you type in a new one. The change takes effect when ready.

The 60-day waiting period resets each time you make a change. So if you change your username today, you can't change it again until 60 days from today. This is why it's worth thinking through your username before you set it — you can fix a mistake, but you'll have to wait two months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use my email address as my Facebook username?

No. Facebook usernames cannot contain the @ symbol or a dot followed by a domain name. You can use periods in your username, but only as a separator between words or letters — not as part of an email address format.

What if someone else is using the username I want?

That username is not available to you. Facebook does not transfer usernames from inactive accounts, and you cannot request that someone else's username be released. Your options are to choose a different username or to wait and see if that person changes theirs (which you have no way of knowing will happen).

Does my username have to match my display name?

No. Your display name and your username are separate. Your display name is what appears on your posts and comments; your username is the web address. You can have a display name like "Sarah Martinez" and a username like "smartinez" or any other variation. You can change your display name anytime without waiting 60 days.

Can I use special characters like hyphens or apostrophes?

No. Facebook only allows letters, numbers, periods, and underscores. If you try to use a hyphen, apostrophe, or any other character, Facebook will reject it. Periods and underscores are your only punctuation options.

Will changing my username break links to my profile?

No. Your old username will redirect to your new one for a short time, and your profile URL will update. However, if you've shared your old username in many places, it's worth updating those links to your new username so they don't rely on the redirect.