How do I change my name on Facebook?
- Click your profile picture in the top right and select Settings & Privacy, then Settings.
- Click Accounts Center.
- Select Profiles, then choose your Facebook profile.
- Click Name.
- Enter your new name and click Review Change.
- Confirm by clicking Save Changes.
Because name settings now live inside the shared Accounts Center (used across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger login), the exact path can differ slightly depending on which Meta apps you have linked. If you don't see Accounts Center, search "name" directly inside Settings & Privacy as an alternative route to the same option.
How often can I actually change my name?
Meta limits how frequently a name can be changed and reviews each request rather than applying it instantly. A cooldown period of 60 days between changes is widely and consistently reported across guides referencing Meta's own help pages, but Meta's publicly available wording emphasizes that you can't change your name "often" without stating a single universal number that applies identically to every account in every situation. Practically: expect a real waiting period measured in weeks, not days, and don't plan around being able to switch your name back and forth quickly.
If you're changing your name for a real reason with a deadline — a legal name change, marriage, starting a new job that requires your professional name — make the change with enough lead time that the review process and cooldown don't leave you stuck with the wrong name when it matters.
What names and characters does Facebook not allow?
Meta's name standards require the name on your profile to be the name people actually know you by in real life — the same standard behind Facebook's long-running real-name approach. Within that standard, Meta's Help Center content and naming-guideline pages describe several specific restrictions:
- No symbols, unnecessary or repeated punctuation, or numbers in place of letters.
- No names written in all capital letters (acronyms are treated differently on Page names, but personal profile names still need normal capitalization).
- No mixing of characters from multiple languages or alphabets within the same name.
- No professional titles, degrees, or honorifics (such as "Dr." or "Engr.") as part of the name field.
- No offensive words, phrases, or impersonation of another real person.
If you submit a name that breaks these rules, Facebook can automatically revert it to your previous name, or the change may go into a review queue where you're asked to confirm your identity before it's approved.
Why is Facebook blocking or reverting my name change?
Meta's Help Center maintains a dedicated page of reasons a name change gets refused, and the most common causes fall into a few groups: you're still inside the cooldown window since your last approved change; the new name doesn't follow the naming standards above; or the account has been flagged for extra identity review, sometimes triggered by another user reporting the name as fake, or by a pattern of frequent changes on the account.
If a review is triggered, Meta may ask you to confirm your identity with an ID or other verification before the name change is approved. This process exists specifically to stop impersonation and fake accounts, which is also why nicknames that don't resemble your real name, or names that look like a business or brand rather than a person, are more likely to get flagged.
People also ask
Can I add a nickname without changing my main name?
Yes. Meta's naming tools allow adding an additional name, such as a nickname, maiden name, or a name in another language, alongside your primary name, rather than replacing it outright. This is a separate option from changing the main profile name.
Does changing my name on Facebook also change it on Instagram?
Not automatically, unless the two accounts are specifically linked through the same Accounts Center profile entry. Facebook and Instagram names are managed as separate profile fields even when both apps share a login.
Will old posts and tags update to show my new name?
Yes. Once a name change is approved, it applies across your account going forward, including how your name displays on existing posts, comments, and tags — you don't need to edit past content individually.