Quick Answer
There are a few ways to change your Facebook name without having to wait 60 days:
- Get Facebook to review your name change request – Provide documentation to prove your name change is legitimate
- Create a new Facebook account with your new name
- Change the name on your account to a nickname or variation of your real name
The 60 day waiting period is in place to prevent abuse and ensure people aren’t frequently changing their name. If you provide legal documentation that verifies your name change, Facebook can review this and potentially waive the waiting period. Otherwise, your options are to either create a new account or use a nickname for 60 days before changing your name fully.
Explaining the 60 Day Waiting Period
Facebook limits how frequently you can change your name, requiring you to wait at least 60 days between each change. This policy is in place to:
- Prevent abuse and fake accounts – Stops people from constantly changing their name to impersonate others or create fake accounts that are hard to track.
- Maintain accountability – Your name allows friends and family to recognize you. If it was easy to change frequently, it would be hard to identify users.
- Align with real name policy – Facebook aims to be a platform where people connect using their real identities.
So the 60 day waiting period discourages people from repeatedly changing their name and reinforces Facebook’s real name policies. This prevents trolls, spammers and scammers from constantly reinventing themselves to avoid being caught.
How to Change Your Name Without Waiting 60 Days
If you have legally changed your name and need to update your Facebook account, there are a few options to avoid the 60 day limit:
Get Facebook to Review Your Name Change
The best option is to ask Facebook to review your name change request and provide legal documentation to verify your new name. Here’s how:
- Go to your Facebook Profile Settings
- Click on the Name option and select Edit Name
- Enter your New Name and click Review Change
- Select the option “I have legal documentation to confirm this name”
- Upload a copy of your marriage certificate, divorce decree or other legal name change paperwork
Once submitted, Facebook will review your documents and if approved, change your name without waiting 60 days. This process can take up to 72 hours so requires some patience.
Create a New Facebook Account
If you don’t want to go through the review process, another option is to simply create a brand new Facebook account using your new legal name.
You can then either:
- Maintain both accounts
- Gradually transition friends/family over to your new profile
- Or let your old account sit idle
The downside is you’ll lose your profile history, posts, photos and have to start rebuilding your network and connections. But it does let you instantly use your new name.
Change to a Nickname or Variation
A final option is to change your name to a nickname or variation of your real identity for 60 days. For example:
- Mike Smith -> Mike S.
- Elizabeth Johnson -> Liz Johnson
Once 60 days have passed you can then change to your full new name. This avoids you having to wait the full period before any name change. Just note nicknames are subject to Facebook’s “authentic name” policies too.
Maintaining Your Existing Profile
When changing your name, you don’t want to lose your profile’s history and connections. Here are tips for maintaining your existing Facebook profile:
Keep Your Vanity URL
Your custom Facebook URL (e.g. facebook.com/yourname) will not automatically update when you change your name. To keep the same vanity URL, go to your profile settings and edit it to match your new name.
Inform Friends in Advance
Let close friends and family know that you’ll be changing your Facebook name so they recognize your new profile. Post a status update about the upcoming change.
Update Shared Content
Review content you’re tagged in or have shared to Groups/Pages. Update the name displayed where possible or add a comment that you changed your name.
Create Name Change Announcement
Post a new status update or profile photo announcing your name change so acquaintances are aware of the change. This prevents confusion.
Troubleshooting Problems
Here are some common problems and fixes for changing your Facebook name:
| Problem | Solution |
|---|---|
| Name change request stuck in review |
|
| Friends not recognizing new name |
|
| Losing profile history and engagement |
|
The key is giving friends and family notice of your name change, maintaining your profile URL, and transitioning gradually if creating a new account. This will ensure minimal disruption.
Alternative Social Media Options
If you need to change your name across social media, here are some alternative platforms that may be easier than Facebook:
Twitter allows you to easily change your display name and profile name as often as you like. Your @handle must stay the same.
Like Facebook, Instagram requires submitting a name change request for review. But the waiting period is only 30 days instead of 60.
LinkedIn allows you to change your name and URL directly without any waiting period. You’ll need to set your old name as a “maiden name”.
Google / YouTube
For Google products like YouTube, you can change your name once every 6 months by providing legal documentation through Google Support.
So review each platform’s specific name change policies. Twitter and LinkedIn are the most flexible, while Google and Facebook have stricter requirements.
Conclusion
While Facebook’s 60 day waiting period for name changes can be inconvenient, there are a few workarounds like submitting legal docs for review or creating a new account. Inform your network of changes in advance, maintain your profile URL, and transition smoothly to your new name. With some patience and planning, you can change your Facebook name without losing your connections or history.