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Facebook Expands Options for Alternative Names

Facebook may be holding firm to its real-name policy, but at least the social network is giving users more options when it comes to alternative names on their accounts.

AlternateNames650Facebook may be holding firm to its real-name policy, but at least the social network is giving users more options when it comes to alternative names on their accounts.

Users can now choose to add the following types of alternative names to their accounts:

  • Nickname
  • Maiden name
  • Alternate spelling
  • Married name
  • Father’s name
  • Birth name
  • Former name
  • Name with title
  • Other

Sreedev Sharma of Sociobits tipped off AllFacebook about the new feature and shared the screenshot above, saying that only one alternative name will be displayed next to users’ primary names, but additional alternative names will be accessible via the “details about you” section on users’ Timelines.

Sharma also provided instructions on how to access Facebook’s new alternative names option:

  • Go to the about section of your Timeline.
  • Click “details about you.”
  • Under “other names,” access the pull-down menu and choose the type of name to add.
  • Check the box for “show at top of profile” if this is the second name you want displayed on your Timeline.
  • Click “save changes.”

Readers: Will you add additional alternative names to your Facebook profiles?