Facebook Username Checker

Your Facebook username sets your profile address, facebook.com/name, and the same name is used for Messenger at m.me/name. Pages can have one too. Type a name below and we give you a direct link to that address, then read the rules Meta publishes in its help center.

Facebook username rules

Allowed characters	Letters A-Z, numbers 0-9 and periods. Facebook says non-Latin characters may be supported later.
Length	At least 5 characters. Facebook's help center does not publish a maximum.
Periods and capitals	They do not make a name unique: johnsmith55, John.Smith55 and john.smith.55 count as the same username.
Banned parts	No generic terms and no domain endings such as .com, .net, .ie, .de or .ca.
One per profile	A profile or Page can have only one username, and it is shared with Messenger.

Sources: Facebook Help: guidelines for creating a custom username, Facebook Help: find or change your username, Facebook Help: the username you want isn't available. Last reviewed 2026-10-18. Platforms change their rules; the linked help pages are the final word.

Looking for a person, not a free name?

This page answers one question: can you register a username on Facebook? If you already have a username and want to find the profile behind it, read our guide on how to find a Facebook profile by username. It covers vanity URLs, numeric profile IDs and what Facebook search can and cannot show.

How to check a Facebook username

Type the name without facebook.com/. Facebook ignores periods and capitals when it compares names, so john.smith and JohnSmith are the same name to it.
We do not fetch Facebook pages from our server. Meta's robots.txt does not allow automated collection, and logged-out pages look much the same for real and missing names. The result says "Can't verify" and links to facebook.com/<name> so you can look yourself.
In a browser, a profile or Page at that address means the name is taken. "This content isn't available right now" does not prove it is free, because the owner may have limited who can see the profile.
The final answer comes from Facebook: open Settings, Accounts Center, Profiles, pick your profile and type the name in the Username field.

Facebook username taken? What you can do

Add a number or a word that says what you do, such as janedoe.photo or janedoe.nyc. Adding a period to an existing name will not work, since periods do not count.
Facebook gives a username to whoever asks for it first. A name can be unavailable even when the profile or Page that holds it is not published yet.
If someone is using your name or brand to pose as you, report the profile to Facebook as impersonation instead of trying to claim the username.
For a business, set the username on your Page rather than your personal profile. You need to be a Page admin to do this.

How to change your Facebook username

Click your profile picture, then Settings & privacy, then Settings.
Open Accounts Center, then Profiles, and pick the profile you want to change.
Click Username, enter the new name and click Done.
Your facebook.com and m.me links change straight away. If you synced profile details with Instagram, your Instagram username may change too.

Reserved and restricted names

Facebook does not allow usernames that impersonate someone else, and every username has to follow Facebook's Terms. Generic words and anything that looks like a web address are refused. Page usernames can also be removed if the Page is inactive.

Tips

Facebook warns that you may not get your old username back after you change it, so treat a change as permanent.
If your Facebook and Instagram details are synced in Accounts Center, check the name on Instagram first so one change does not break the other.
Keep the username easy to type. People often share facebook.com/name links by hand or read them off printed material.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Facebook username have to be?

At least 5 characters. Facebook does not publish a maximum length in its help center.

Can I use underscores or hyphens in a Facebook username?

No. Facebook usernames can only contain letters, numbers and periods.

Is john.smith different from johnsmith on Facebook?

No. Facebook ignores periods and capital letters when it compares usernames, so they count as the same name.

Why can't I get a username that has no visible profile?

Facebook says a username can be claimed by a profile or Page that is not published yet. The address may show nothing to you even though the name is taken.

Why does the checker say it can't verify Facebook?

Meta does not allow automated checks, so we never fetch Facebook pages. We link you to facebook.com/name to check it yourself in a browser.

Also check on other top platforms

Each platform has its own checker page with its own rules. Pick one to test the same name there.

Check all 3,165+ sites at once with the full username search, or get the Android app to run the same search from your phone.

WhatsMyName: Username SearchSponsored

Get the free Android app3,150+ sites · scans on your phone · 10 languages

Scans run on your phone. There is no scan server.

Checks a username on 3,150+ sites

Available in 10 languages

It's free with ads, and you don't need an account.

More username checkers

Not affiliated with Facebook. WhatsMyName Apps is an independent tool, not endorsed by Facebook, the WhatsMyName project, Sherlock or Maigret. Results are leads to verify.