Know Your Limitations
Before you change your name on Facebook, it’s important to understand Facebook’s naming rules and restrictions. The main restrictions include:
Titles, such as doctor or professionalPhrases and words that are obviously not names, such as My Facebook Account or I Don’t Have A NameNumbers, symbols, or punctuationSuggestive or offensive words
Facebook prefers for you to use your real name. This should be the name that appears on formal documentation, such as your birth certificate, bills, or driver’s license. This is mainly because of situations where you lose access to your account. Using your real name allows you to submit one of Facebook’s accepted IDs as proof of who you are. Another method is setting trusted contacts to help you. As an alternative, you can also add another name, such as adding a nickname or maiden name to your existing name. This allows you to keep your formal name for recovery purposes but still list a different name. One more important thing to remember is you can only change your name every sixty days. Otherwise, your account may be flagged as suspicious. There is one workaround. If you changed your name or someone hacked your account and changed it, you can restore the previous name if you’re able to log in and revert back within 48 hours (more on that later on).
Change Your Name on Facebook – Desktop
You can do this in a browser or via the Facebook app. The steps are listed here for desktop, iOS, and Android. For desktop, log in to your Facebook account using any browser you choose. Click your profile icon in the top-right corner and choose “Settings & Privacy.” For some reason, some users have a different menu. If you don’t see this option, skip to the next step. Select Settings. If you didn’t see “Settings & Privacy,” click Settings instead. Ensure General is selected on the left side of the screen. You should see your name, username/URL, email, and more in the right pane. Click Edit beside your name. As a side note, you can also change your username/URL by clicking Edit beside Username. Enter the changes to your name. You can change your first, last, and/or middle name. Click “Review Changes” when you’re finished. Select the order you want your name to appear, enter your password, and click Save Changes. If your name’s been changed within the last 48 hours, you’ll see a message saying you can’t change your name. However, you’ll also see a message to change to a previous name. Click “Use Previous Name” to switch back. Once again, this is only an option within two days of your last name change. Your new name shows up immediately after the change.
Change Your Name on Facebook App
The process for changing your name on the Facebook app is similar for iOS and Android as long as you’re using the latest version of the app.
- Open the Facebook app and click the three-lines menu at the top-right corner for the Android app or the bottom right in the iOS app.
- Expand “Settings & Privacy” and select Settings.
- Tap Personal Information under Account Settings.
- Select your name and enter the changes in the next window.
- Press “Review Change.”
- Preview the change, enter your password, and tap “Save Changes.”
Adding a New Name
If you just want to add something to your name, you don’t have to change your name on Facebook. For desktop, go through the name change process above until you reach the following screen. Click “Add other names.” Click “Add a nickname, a birth name … ” under Other Names. Click the drop-down box to choose the type of other name you want. Enter the name and whether you want it to show at the top of your profile. Click Save to finish. In the apps, go through the name change process until you tap your name under Personal Information. Tap “Add a nickname, birth name … ” at the top of the name change screen. Choose the type and enter your name. Tap Save to save your changes. If you’re changing your name just to start over or get more privacy, consider using more private Facebook alternatives. You can also review your privacy settings for more control.
