Facebook, like MySpace, lets users show full name

NEW YORK (AP) — Facebook is further embracing the real name culture it touts as one of its founding principles — and catching up with rival MySpace in the process.

Starting at 12:01 a.m. EDT Saturday, the popular online hangout’s millions of users will be able to claim a name to use as part of their profile page’s Web address — as in http://facebook.com/janedoe . Currently Facebook assigns each profile a string of numerals over which users have no control.

Fan pages for businesses, brands and celebrities will be able to adopt such names, too, but they had to have been on the site by May 31, with at least 1,000 “fans” at that time.