How to Change Instagram Name and Should You Do It?

There are a number of good reasons why you’d want to know how to change your Instagram name. Perhaps it’s common and too similar to another account name or that of several other users. Perhaps you thought of something more unique, creative, and suitable for your brand. Or you had a name change in real life after getting married and want to update your social media names, as well. 

But before you make the change, you must ask yourself first if it’s a good idea to do so. Let’s break down what it means to change your Instagram name and/or username and how to do it.

How to Change Your Instagram Username

First things first, you must know that you can change both your Instagram account name and Instagram ID name/handle — and that these are two different things. Your Instagram username, also referred to as your ID or handle, is the name that is prominently displayed on your profile, after the @ symbol, and alongside your posts and comments. It’s also the name that people use to tag you. You can get creative with your username and use whatever you want, as long as it’s not yet taken. 

Your account name, on the other hand, is usually your real name or how you’re commonly known by your family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. For business accounts, the Instagram name is their business name. This appears less prominently below your username. Instagram highly recommends using a name you’re known by to make it easy for people to find you on the platform. 
If you’ve made up your mind about it, here’s how to change your Instagram name and/or username.

1. Go to your profile. 
2. Tap “Edit Profile.”
3. Type your new name and/or username. 
4. Tap “Done” for an iPhone, or “Submit” for an Android or computer.

Important Factors to Consider Before Changing Your Name And/or Username

Keep these in mind if you’re contemplating a name/username change on Instagram:

• Instagram may have to review the change first if you already have a lot of followers and your account reaches a lot of users. Otherwise, your name change will take effect immediately.
• Your followers will be notified about the change. 
• When changing your Instagram name, you can only do it twice within 14 days.
• When changing your Instagram username, you’ll only be able to switch it back within 14 days and only if your previous username is still available. 
• If you’ve previously and frequently linked to your Instagram account, people who click on these old profile links might have a problem connecting to your account. You may have to go back and update these old links. 
• Remember to update your Instagram link on your other social media accounts. 
• Your followers and other users who may search for you using your old handle will get a “User not found” message. 
• All your previous comments, likes, mentions, and DMs will change to your new username. Some of your followers may get confused if they don’t recognize your new handle and may unfollow you. 
• Make sure to notify your followers of your name change by making an announcement on your wall and Stories at least a week before changing your Instagram username.

How to Change Instagram Profile Name Font

You can easily change your Instagram profile name font by using any of the Instagram-approved Instagram font generators. These third-party apps typically work the same way. 

1. Launch the font generator. 
2. Type your new name in the app’s text editing box. 
3. Try out the various font options and select the one you like. 
4. Copy the name via Ctrl + A and then Ctrl + C. 
5. Go to your Instagram profile and tap “Edit profile.”
6. Paste the name with your chosen font into the appropriate box. 
7. Click “Done” or “Submit.”

How to Find Someone Who Changed Their Name on Instagram

Whether you unfollowed a person on Instagram or are low-key or covertly stalking them, here’s how to find someone if they changed their name on Instagram. 

• Search for them using their real name and other popular names they’re known by. 
• Look for them via your common friends on Instagram or accounts you mutually follow; you’ll have to go through the follower list of this mutual connection to find your “missing person.”
• If you’ve engaged with them previously on your post or another account’s post, you can look for this post instead to find out their new username. You can also search for them via a post they were previously tagged in or the account that tagged them.
• Find a post they commented on previously. 
• If you know anybody who’s following them, you can check their following list.

Take note that if you’re unable to find a person on Instagram, it may not be because they changed their Instagram name. If you keep getting “User not found” when you use a person’s known names to search for them, it’s likely that they have blocked you. If you can still view their profile but you see a message that says “No Posts Yet” on their wall, this also means that they have blocked you. You may still be able to see what they’ve been up to via posts they’re tagged in.

Final Thoughts: Is an Instagram Name Change for the Better or for the Worse?

Knowing how to change your Instagram name is easy peasy. The process is quick and the change usually takes effect immediately as long as the username’s still available and Instagram does not have to review your request first. Deciding if changing your account name and/or handle requires careful consideration, however.

Will it be beneficial to your account, or even personally? If you’re managing a business account, are you willing to risk lower engagement for the first few days or weeks after your name change? You may also lose some followers in the process. If the long-term pros outweigh the short-term cons, then go for it! If you need additional help growing your brand, you should also consider teaming up with a reliable growth partner, like Path Social. Path Social prioritizes organic and lasting growth and effectively accomplishes this for their clients with their proprietary AI targeting technology and an in-house team of experts. Start growing and gaining instagram followers today!