There can be a number of reasons behind why you would want to change your name on Facebook. You picked a stupid nickname at the time of creating an account and now you are all grown up. You got married and took your OS’s title. You changed your birth name. Maybe, you became a star and took your stage name. Either way, there are plenty of reasons to change name on Facebook but only one way to do it.
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Facebook Name Policy
You can’t just change your name to anything. There are rules you need to follow and Facebook has defined them clearly. What you can and can’t include in your name. The number one rule is that you can’t choose a name that isn’t yours. Don’t pretend to be someone else because if you are caught or someone complains, your profile will be deactivated without intimation. Facebook blocked over 4.5 billion accounts in the first nine months of 2020 alone. A lot of them were bots but many were fake accounts too.
Some other rules:
- Can’t use offensive or suggestive words
- Can’t include numbers, symbols, punctuations, or unusual capitalization
- Can’t use characters from different languages
- Can’t use words or phrases instead of your name
- Can’t use titles that you don’t own like professional or religious
- Your Facebook name should be the name you have on your ID card
- Nicknames are allowed but only as a middle name when used with your real name
- You can add a nickname separately (we will discuss that later below)
- Can’t use business name in your profile. Create a page for businesses instead
Facebook has a list of ID cards that it considers valid and acceptable but it may vary slightly based on your country of citizenship. Most of us have a driving license or at the very least, a birth certificate. Both are valid.
You cannot change your Facebook name if you have already done so in the last 60 days or less or if you have been changing it frequently. You can also not change your name if Facebook asked you to verify your ID and you failed to submit one.
And that’s it. You are ready to change name on Facebook. Who knew about all these rules!
How to Change Your Name on Facebook on Web
Open Facebook and sign in to your account. Click on the downward facing arrow and select Privacy and settings > Settings > General and there you will find your name with an Edit button on the right.
You can now enter your first, middle, and last name here. The middle one is optional where you can input your nickname if you so wish.
Click on Review Changes below once you are done changing name. Facebook will remind you of the 60 day policy which we already discussed above but of you might have scrolled past it in a hurry.
Did you noticed the Add other names option below the notice? That’s where you can add more names if you want to add pen name or some other name you have adopted. The name that appears on your ID should be entered on this screen though.
Don’t forget to save changes when you are done.
Also Read: 4 Ways to Save Facebook Videos to Camera Roll on iPhone (2020)
How to Change Your Name on Facebook on iOS
Open Facebook app on your iPhone and tap on the menu icon at the bottom-right corner of the screen.
You will now go to Privacy and settings > Settings > Personal Information > Name. You can change your first, middle, and last name here just like in the web app. The option to add nicknames is right below the Review Change button you see in the screenshot above. Scroll a little to find.
How to Change Your Name on Facebook on Android
The steps will remain the same for Android users too. Open Facebook and you will find the menu icon at the bottom right corner of your screen.
Again, you will follow the same structure going through Privacy and settings > Settings > Personal Information > Name.
Enter your desired name and other names that you may have. The 60-day name change policy details can be seen. Tap on Review Changes when you are done to save changes.
Wrapping Up: Change Your Name on Facebook
I will suggest you enter your legal name on your Facebook profile. You may go with your stage name or nickname but that should be entered as your middle name or other names. If you are an artist, then you can create a Facebook Page instead of a Profile, and then things will work differently. Facebook naming policy for Pages is different as they are for brands, businesses, and public figures. Always be on the right side of the law.
Also Read: How to Remove Facebook Messenger from Instagram After the New Update
