how to change your business name on facebook

Changing your name on Facebook is a simple process; here are some things you should know.

Marriage, divorce, new job—there are myriad reasons to change the name on your Facebook account. Facebook's name-changing process is quite simple, but you may experience some challenges during the process.

The basics of Facebook's naming policy

Facebook's naming policy states, "The name on your account should be the name that your friends call you in everyday life. This name should also appear on an ID or document from our ID list." However, Facebook allows name variations such as:

Nicknames
Maiden names
Professional names

Keep in mind that you may need to provide Facebook your ID if you're locked out of your account. (Facebook sometimes locks accounts that have suspicious activity, such as too many attempted logins.) And if your account name doesn't match your real name, you may not be able to recover your account. Also, once you change your account name, you can't modify it again for 60 days.

Your name cannot be/have the following:

Another person's name
A business or organization name (such accounts need a Facebook "Page," not a private account)
Symbols, numbers, unusual capitalization, repeated characters/punctuation
Characters from multiple languages
Words or phrases instead of a name
Offensive/suggestive words

Facebook also allows you add additional names (which Facebook refers to as "Other Names"), including your:

Nickname
Maiden name
Alternate spelling(s)
Married name
Father's or mother's name
Title
Other

Like your profile name, these other names are on public view; they supplement your full profile name but don't replace it.

How to change your Facebook name on a desktop

To change your profile name on Facebook from a computer or laptop, follow these steps:

1. Log in to Facebook.

2. On the menu bar at the top right of the screen, click on the "Account" tab, which is indicated by a downward caret.

*Click on the downward caret in the upper right corner (All source images are pulled from personal Facebook account)*

3. From the dropdown options, click on "Settings & Privacy," which is indicated by a gear icon.

4. In the next box, select "Settings." This will navigate you to the "General Account Settings" page.

5. Under "General Account Settings," click anywhere on the first row titled "Name."

6. Enter your name (first, middle, and last), and click on "Review Change."

*Enter your name and click on "Review Change"*

7. A pop-up box will appear, asking you to choose how your name should be displayed on your profile. Select your desired option.

Select how you want your name to appear on your profile

8. Next, enter your password to save this setting.

*Enter your password in the given text box*

9. After previewing your name and entering your password, click on "Save Changes" to complete the process.

How to change your Facebook name on a mobile device

To change your Facebook profile name from your mobile device, follow these steps:

1. Open the Facebook app.

2. On the menu bar, click on the three horizontal lines with the word "Menu" underneath. (This is on the bottom right of the screen for iOS and top right for Android devices.)

Click on the menu icon, which will be in different locations for iOS and Android devices

3. Scroll down to "Settings & Privacy" and click on it.

4. From the box that appears next, select "Settings."

5. You'll be navigated to the "Settings & Privacy" page. Under "Account," select "Personal and Account Information."

6. On the next page, click on "Name."

7. Enter your first and last name—and your middle name if you like.

*Enter your name in the given text boxes*

8. Click on "Review Change."

9. On the next page, you'll be asked to choose how you want your name to be displayed on your profile. Select your desired option.

Select how your name will be displayed on your Facebook profile

10. Enter your password to save this setting, and then select "Save changes" to complete the process.

*Enter your password and click on "Save changes"*

How to add "Other Names" on Facebook (desktop and mobile)

Perhaps you don't want to change your name but provide more information about it—Facebook allows this!

Adding "Other Names" on a desktop

To add an Other Name on a desktop, follow these steps:

1. Follow steps 1 through 5 of how to change your Facebook name on a desktop to navigate to the "Name" section of "General Account Settings."

2. Click on "Add other names"; you'll land on the "Add Bio" page.

3. Under "Other Names," select "Add a nickname, a birth name…" to access name options.

4. Tap on the downward caret on the left of the "Name Type" box to get an expanded list of name types.

5. From the dropdown list, select the other name type you wish to include.

*From the list, select the name type you wish to include*

6. In the "Name" box, type the other name you wish to add to your profile.

*Enter the name in the textbox below your chosen name type*

7. If you want your other name displayed at the top of your profile, check the "Show at top of profile" box. Else, leave the box unchecked.

Check the "Show at top of profile" box to display your other name at the top of your Facebook profile

8. Click "Save" to complete the process.

*Click the blue "Save" button to apply your changes*

Adding "Other Names" on a mobile device

1. Follow steps 1 through 6 for how to change your Facebook name on a mobile device.

2. Under "Other Names," click on "Add a nickname, a birth name…"

3. Tap on the downward caret next to "Name Type" to get an expanded list of name type options.

*Tap the downward caret to access available name types*

4. Scroll through the dropdown list and select the other name type you wish to include.

5. In the "Name" box, type the other name you wish to add to your Facebook profile.

*Add your other name in the "Name" text box*

6. If you want your other name displayed at the top of your profile, check the "Show at top of profile" box. Else, leave the box unchecked.

Check the "Show at top of profile" box to display your other name at the top of your Facebook profile

7. Click on "Save" to apply changes and complete the process.

Bonus tip: Adding your name's pronunciation (desktop only)

Did you know that you can add your name's pronunciation to your Facebook account? This option is available only on desktops, and the steps are simple.

1. Log in to your Facebook account from a computer or laptop.

2. Follow steps 1 through 5 of how to change your Facebook name on a desktop to navigate to the "Name" section of "General Account Settings."

3. Click on "Add other names."

4. Click on "Add a name pronunciation" to enter the phonetic description of your name(s). Your name's pronunciation will appear in the "About" section of your profile, under "Details About You."

5. Enter a phonetic description to let people know how to pronounce your first and last name.

*Enter the phonetic description of your name*

6. Click "Save" to apply the settings and complete the process.

Protect your name and privacy online

Facebook is a fun place to socialize, but unfortunately, it's also a site for hackers, cyberbullies, and other threatening figures. A Facebook name change might be necessary to protect your identity and privacy.

Another way to protect yourself online is to learn how to block other users who pose online threats. Learn how to block someone in our easy-to-follow step-by-step guide, "How to Block Someone on Facebook." Stay safe online!