How Do I Change My Name on Facebook?

Changing your name on Facebook can be a great way to establish boundaries between the different parts of your life. It also makes it easier for friends and family to find you, helps protect your privacy and allows you to show support for causes and organizations.

Dec 9, 2022

Are you thinking of changing your name on Facebook? You're not alone. In fact, according to a study by the Pew Research Center, about one-third of Facebook users have changed their names at some point. So if you're considering it, you're in good company. But before you make any decisions, you should know a few things.

How To Change Your Name on Facebook

Changing your name on Facebook is pretty straightforward. Here's how to do it:

  1. Click on the down arrow in the top right corner of Facebook and select Settings.

  2. Select General from the menu on the left.

  3. In the Name section, click Edit next to your current name.

  4. Enter your new name and click Save Changes.

Note that you can only change your name once every 60 days. And if you're changing your name because you've got married or divorced, you'll need to provide proof of your change of name to get it updated on Facebook. Contact support when you need help with the name-changing process.

What Happens When you Change Your Name on Facebook

Once you've changed your name on Facebook, there are a few things that will happen:

  • Your old name will be listed as your last name in the About section of your profile.

  • Your friends will be able to find you by your old name in Facebook search results, and they may still have you as a friend on their friend's list with your old name.

  • Your profile photo and other photos with your old name will be updated automatically.

  • Any posts you've made using your old name will still be visible on your timeline, and you'll continue to be tagged in them.

  • If you're part of any group, your old name will remain listed as your group name.

  • Any pages you've liked with your old name will still appear in your Likes section.

If you've changed your name on Facebook to match your legal name, you'll need to provide proof to Facebook before they update your profile. Reach out to customer support after experiencing a problem.

What to Do If You Change Your Mind After Changing your Name on Facebook

If you decide you don't want to change your name, you can always change it back after all. Here's how:

  1. Click on the down arrow in the top right corner of Facebook and select Settings.

  2. Select General from the menu on the left.

  3. In the Name section, click Edit next to your current name.

  4. Enter your old name and click Save Changes.

Your old name will be listed as your last name in the About section of your profile, and your friends can find you by your old name in Facebook search results. Your profile photo and any other photos with your old name will be updated automatically, and any posts you've made using your old name will still be visible on your timeline.

If you're part of any group, your old name will remain listed as your group name, and any pages you've liked with your old name will still show up in your Likes section. Contact customer support for assistance.

The Benefits of Changing Your Name on Facebook

If you're thinking of changing your name on Facebook, there are a few benefits to consider:

  • Help keep your personal and professional life separate.

  • Make it easier for people to find you online.

  • Help protects your privacy.

  • It can be a way to change your name after getting married or divorced officially.

  • It can be a way to show your support for a cause or organization.

  • A way to celebrate a special occasion.

  • It can help you feel more connected to your online community.

  • It can be a way to show your personality and unique sense

Further questions?

Ask a followup or related question and we will try to provide an answer in seconds.
Adam has been tirelessly trying to help customers find the best tips and tricks to get through phone trees and writing many guides for prickly customer service problems. He's been featured in the Wall Street Journal, Inside Edition and Bloomberg.
How Do I Change My Name on Facebook?

Help from Real People

We partner with a US-based company with live tech support experts available 24/7. Take advantage of a $5 one-week trial membership and chat with an expert now.
Chat with an expert

Why does GetHuman Write How-to Guides for Facebook Problems?

GetHuman has been working for over 10 years on sourcing information about big organizations like Facebook in order to help customers resolve customer service issues faster. We started with contact information and fastest ways to reach a human at big companies. Particularly ones with slow or complicated IVR or phone menu systems. Or companies that have self-serve help forums instead of a customer service department. From there, we realized that consumers still needed more detailed help solving the most common problems, so we expanded to this set of guides, which grows every day. And if you spot any issues with our How Do I Change My Name on Facebook? guide, please let us know by sending us feedback. We want to be as helpful as possible. If you appreciated this guide, please share it with your favorite people. Our free information and tools is powered by you, the customer. The more people that use it, the better it gets.

Facebook

Asked 2 years ago
Updated a year ago
Viewed 1,025,540 times
Facebook
How Do I Change My Name On Facebook?
Changing My Name On Facebook

Speak to An Expert Now

We partner with a US-based expert help site to provide you with tech support 24/7. Enjoy a $5 one-week trial membership and chat with a live expert now.
Get Live Expert Help
Was this page helpful?
Thank you and please share!
Thank you and please share!
Needs work
Sharing is what powers GetHuman's free customer service contact information and tools. You can help!