Change Your Name on Facebook
If you’ve recently changed your name, or you want to separate your professional life from your personal life, you’ll likely want to change your name on Facebook. Facebook frowns upon using fake names, but allows you to make changes to your real name up to four times. To change your name on Facebook, log into Facebook and navigate to your "Account Settings," then click on your name to open the name editor (or go to "General" and "Name" if using the mobile app). Change your first, middle, and last name as applicable, then click on "Save Changes" to complete the process.
Steps
- Open your account settings. Log in to Facebook and click the Gear icon in the top-right corner of the page. Select “Account Settings”.
- To access this on the mobile app, click the menu button in the top-left corner and scroll down to Account Settings. Select General, and then tap Name.
- Click on your name to open the name editor. You can enter a First, Middle, and Last name, as well as an Alternate name (such as a nickname or maiden name).
- Your name can only be changed four times.
- Facebook wants you to list your name as it appears on your credit card or ID.
- You cannot use symbols, numbers, random capitalization, or punctuation.
- Your middle name cannot be words or phrases.
- Nicknames should be variations on your real name (Jim instead of James, Meg instead of Megan, etc.)
- Enter your real name. Facebook does not allow you to impersonate someone else, or create a page for a fictional character. Accounts found in violation of this will be forced to change the name.
- If you want to create an account for an organization, business, or a pet, you will need to create a Facebook Page.
- Enter your password. To change your name, you will need to enter your password into the box before you are allowed to save your changes.
- Click Save Changes. Your new name will be saved, and the change will reflect on your Profile shortly. It can take up to 24 hours for a name change to be approved.
Warnings
- Facebook limits the number of times / frequency with which you can change your name. Beware of changing it to something you don’t like as a joke, as Facebook might cut off your name-changing privileges afterwards, leaving you stuck with something like Dingus McFarfenheimer IV.,
