How to Find Someone on Facebook If You Don't Remember Their Name
By James Wright
Facebook is a great way for friends to connect and reunite, but creating this connection can be slightly problematic if you don't remember your friend's name. However, a name is not the only way you can find someone on Facebook. If you have any mutual friends, a phone number, email address or if you remember where they went to school or work, you can quickly narrow down your search. There are plenty of ways to find someone you used to know, but your success will often depend on how much information your friend has filled out in their profile.
Check Schools and Businesses
If you can't find someone by name, you can still narrow your search down if you can remember where they work or where they went to school. Search for the business name or school they went to. If they've filled out this information in their profile, their name should show up on the company or school's page. However, this is not always the best way to find someone since some users simply don't fill out this information or link it with the official business or school page.
Look For Mutual Friends
If the person you're looking for is friends with people you know, go to their profiles and look at their friends lists. If your friends haven't changed the default privacy settings on their friends list, you should be able to scroll through the entire list. You may need to check a few different lists, especially if you aren't completely sure if your friends have actually added the person you're looking for.
Check Suggested Friends
A somewhat quicker though possibly less consistent method is to look at Facebook's suggested friends. If you are friends with a number of people who know the person you're looking for, they may show up as a suggested friend. Click the Friend Requests icon from Facebook's main page, then scroll through the "People You May Know" list. This is based off mutual friends and similar businesses, schools, interests, etc.
Nicknames and Personal Information
If you don't know a person's name but remember a nickname they may use, a phone number, email address or any other personal information, you can use this information to search for people. Click the Friend Requests icon, then click "Find Friends." Select any of the default services, or click "Other Tools" to expand a list of other methods you can use. You can find any friends from any of the locations you have filled out in your profile or use their phone number or email. Again, note that this method only works if they have filled out this information in this profile.
References
Writer Bio
Based in California, James Wright has been writing since 1998. Wright's articles have been published on various websites with a focus on technical fields such as computers and the Internet, and were also featured in a now-retired publication for an online artistic community. Wright studied English, journalism, politics and psychology at Riverside Community College.