Would you like to protect your privacy or your children’s privacy when you are online? If you are worried about your identity and your privacy, you do have the option to change your Facebook name. It is possible to change your Facebook name and it only takes a second or two to do.
Facebook will consider your new name before they approve your request. They have a strict policy against vulgar names and inappropriate names so they will get back to you in about 24-72 hours if your name was approved. For people that have gotten married or have a nickname to add to their name, it’s usually a simple process of changing your Facebook name. Here are the steps to follow if you would like to change your Facebook name:
- Step # 1 – Sign into your Facebook account
- Step # 2 – Click on the “Account” icon on the right hand side of the drop down menu next to your profile information.
- Step # 3 – From the drop-down menu, select “Account Settings”
- Step # 4 – Once you are in the Settings profile, click on “change” under NAME.
- Step # 5 – Now type the new name you would like to have displayed. Click on “Change Name” when you have typed in your new name.
Usually the new name change will go into effect immediately unless Facebook sees a problem with the name you have chosen. Now when it comes to changing your Facebook name, you need to pick your new name carefully. Facebook doesn’t like it when you try to change your name often and they can block you from doing so. If you try to change your name more than 1 or 2 times a year, Facebook will block you from their site as this normally points to a scam.
The downside to picking a bad Facebook name is that you will be stuck with it for awhile. It can take awhile for Facebook to approve a request for another name change so it you have chosen a bad nickname, you may need to delete your account and opt for a new one instead.
It is nice to change your name if you have recently gotten married or you can change your name if you have gotten divorced so you don’t have to have the daily reminder of your old name. When you are trying to reconnect with your old friends, use your maiden name in addition to your new last name because it will be much easier for your friends to find you this way. There is a section where you can also insert your previous name if you don’t want it to display that way on your profile. This will make it easier for the Facebook search feature to pair you up with people that are looking for you.
What happens if Facebook does not honor your request for a new name? The problem may lie with the nickname you have chosen so you will need to wait at least 24 hours before trying to change your name again. Your name may be rejected because of the availability of the name. While Facebook does have a lot of users with the same name, they do try to cut down on the duplicate names that may be potential spammers.
It is easy to change your name and to protect your privacy on Facebook. While you are changing your name, you also have the choice to change your security settings. This way you can make it so only your friends can see your status updates, pictures, and personal information. This will help you stay safe online and you won’t need to worry about identity theft and other privacy problems.