How To Change Your Name On Facebook | Guidelines & Tips

In this article, Discover how to change your name on Facebook quickly and easily. The reasons for changing the name on social media platforms can be numerous – from getting married to changing the birth name, the humor to adding a nickname, or the desire to be called by a special tag. Luckily, the process of changing your name on a Facebook profile is absolutely effortless, efficient, and forthright, regardless of whether you are doing it on your PC or mobile app. 

Rules For Changing Names on Facebook

To make the changes hassle-free, Facebook has a set of guidelines and community standards that one must adhere to. It clearly explains what sorts of names or titles can and cannot be used. The main purpose is to let the user pick a name that must reflect their real identity. 

How To Change Your Name On Facebook

The things Facebook discourages or doesn’t accept:

• Use of symbols & numbers
• Punctuation/excessive punctuation 
• Unnecessary capitalization
• Addition of characters/numbers/symbols from more than one language
• Repetition of characters
• Mentioning labels (professional, educational, religious, etc.)
• Writing only words or phrases rather than a name
• A word containing any profanity 
• Offensive terms

As far as nicknames go:

• Only use if these are the extension or variation of your original name (for instance: Maddie for Madison, Charlie for Charles, etc.)
• Placed on the first or middle 
• Should not be impersonating others

How To Change Your Name On Facebook?

On Desktop Browser:

1. Log in to your Facebook account on a web browser.
2. Navigate to the screen’s top-right corner, where you can see a downward arrow. Click it.
3. Select “Settings & Privacy,” followed by “Settings.”
4. Go to the left-hand menu, press “General,” and click on “See More in Accounts Center.” 
5. Choose your Facebook profile, which may also show your linked Instagram account.
6. Find “Name” and click “Edit” to update.
7. Fill in your desired first, middle (if want), and last name.
8. Click the “View Name Change button” and see the changes before saving.
9. Time to click “save changes.”
10. Re-enter your password if asked.

On Mobile App:

1. Open and log in to the Facebook app for iPhone or Android.
2. Tap the hamburger menu icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen for iPhone, the top-right corner of the screen for Android.
3. Scroll to select “Settings & Privacy” > “Settings.”
4. Go to the Accounts Center section, tap “See more in Accounts Center,” and then choose your profile.
5. Tap “Name” and write a new, chosen one (first name, middle name, and last name).
6. Tap “Review Change” to preview the changes.
7. Finally, tap “Save Changes.”

Note: You may be asked to re-enter your password for confirmation of your Facebook profile.

How To Add A Nickname

1. Open the app and log in to your profile.
2. Tap the Menu icon (bottom-right corner for iPhone & top-right corner for Android).
3. Scroll and tap “Settings & Privacy,” then Settings.
4. Go to “See more in Accounts Center” > select your Facebook profile.
5. Tap “Name” > tap “Manage other names.”
6. Select name type, and enter your name.
7. Tap Save.

Points To Remember

• The name can be changed ONCE after every 2 months (60 days).
• Remember to select a name that matches one on Facebook’s list of accepted IDs or documents to recover access to your Facebook account.
• Yes, Facebook has no compulsion to provide a full legal name, but it prefers that its users pick the name they are called by in everyday life. 
• If you have accidentally made any typo mistake, revert it within a limited time.
• Altering your name may not refresh your name on its own on posts or comments you’ve been tagged in the past.
• You should check any websites, browsers, or apps where your Facebook profile has been logged in to ensure your new name is automatically changed. This practice helps prevent future login issues.
• Also, keep in mind that the name change application may take up to 3 days to review. 
• Although not all your friends will be notified about the name change, it may direct notifications to selected connections per your interactions.

Bottom Line

Your Facebook name can create an individual online identity, determining how your networks and unknown digital community perceive you. So, make it uniquely yours! In certain cases, Facebook may reject your updated name. The solution is to provide a copy of your ID (a birth certificate or passport) as evidence of your identity.