How to change your name on Facebook

• You can change your name on Facebook in about a minute, but there are several limitations in mind. 
• Changing your Facebook name will not change anything else in your account, and it will not remove the tags applied to your previous name.
• Facebook prohibits pseudonyms, but it allows you to use common nicknames like John instead of Jake.

There are many valid reasons to change the name on your Facebook account.

Maybe you are taking on the surname of a new spouse and want your profile to reflect your new name. Or perhaps you have outgrown your childhood nickname Billy, let’s say, and want to start by William instead. Or maybe you only need a change to spice things up.

Why you want to change your name on Facebook is your business, but here’s how.

How to change your name:

1. Go to the Facebook website and make sure you are logged in.

Then, click on the downward arrow at the top left side of the page.

 2. In the drop-down menu that appears, click “Settings & Privacy” and then “Settings.”

3. You should now be on the page General Account Settings. Next to your name, click on the word “Edit”.

4. Enter the new name you wish to use in the boxes at the top of the page.

5. Click on “Review Change.”

6. In the pop-up, check the new name to ensure you are satisfied. Enter your password and click on “Save Changes.”

Today, you have a brand-new name on Facebook with a non-affiliated account.

What to know about changing your name on Facebook

Some social media platforms allow you to change your name as often as possible. Not so much about Facebook: they only allow a change in name in 60 days. And if you change your name too often, it can last up to 120 days.

And unlike other platforms, Facebook wants you to use your real name. They allow common derivative names, such as Liza for Mark, Tony for Kate, and Toby for Lawrence, but they do not want pseudonyms or nonsense names.

If you use a false name, you risk being banned from Facebook. The company’s own stated policy on this issue is, in part, “Facebook is a community in which everyone uses the name they go by in their daily lives, which makes it so that you always know who you are connected with.”

The good news is that as long as your name change follows Facebook policies, it will not negatively impact your account. Your friends will still interact with you in the same way. No new connections are required, and any images or posts in which your former name has been tagged will now show your new name.

Hopefully this helped!