Your name on Facebook doesn’t just confirm your identity for the app – it also makes your profile searchable and easy to find for people who know you and who want to add you as a friend.
But what do you do if you want to secure your privacy and prevent people from being able to search for and follow your content? If you’re set on keeping your profile as well hidden as possible, you might be wondering if it’s possible to remove or hide your last name…
Changing Your Name on Facebook
You can change your name on Facebook once every 60 days, via the Accounts Centre.
One of the most common reasons for doing this is getting married or changing your legal name for another reason, with users able to retain the connection with their maiden or former name to aid in the visibility of their profile to friends.
Changing your name is as simple as heading to your Facebook settings and into your Accounts Centre, then selecting your Facebook Profile and clicking ‘Name’.
Here you can change your name, adding a middle name or adjusting your last name so that it conceals your identity.
Why Remove Your Last Name?
This is a tactic often employed by teachers who don’t want pupils to be able to find them on Facebook.
It’s also a way of hiding your profile from users who may search for and try to find you.
Can You Use Facebook With Just Your First Name
Typically, no. Your full name is required to sign up for a Facebook account, with this information deemed public owing to its necessity in growing your community and establishing your network across the platform.
Having said that, there are cases where individuals change their name and remove a last name. This must be submitted to Facebook as a special request and must be backed by legal documents that confirm the name of the user.
NOTE: You can change your last name to simply the first letter, which goes some way to hiding your identity and protecting your profile.
Alternatively, simply lock down the visibility of your profile to the bare minimum, preventing users who aren’t your friends from being able to follow you, and setting obstacles that mean users have to request to become your friend.
Facebook is exceptionally good when it comes to protecting the privacy of its users and has tons of settings which ensure users feel safe when browsing. Your name may make your profile searchable by people who know you, but that doesn’t mean you have to let them add you as a friend!
