Change the Display Name Format to Last Name and then First Name

Introduction

BuddyBoss displays a member’s name using the platform’s standard format (usually First Name Last Name). There is no built-in option to change this. You can customize the display name format to show Last Name first, followed by First Name, by adding a small function to your active theme. This guide explains how you can change the display name format

Custom Workaround

Before proceeding, make sure you have a complete site backup.

1. Go to Appearance > Theme Editor in your WordPress admin dashboard.
2. Under Select theme to edit, choose your active theme (preferably BuddyBoss Child Theme), then click Select.
3. From the Theme Files list, open Theme Functions (functions.php).
4. Add the following code just before the closing PHP tag (?>):

function change_display_name_format($display_name_format) {

    // Change the display name format to 'last_name - first_name'

    $display_name_format = '%last_name% - %first_name%';

    return $display_name_format;

}

add_filter('bp_core_display_name_format', 'change_display_name_format');

5. Click Update File to save the changes.

Once applied, member names across BuddyBoss (profiles, activity feeds, etc.) will display in the format: Last Name – First Name.

Note: Modifications are typically considered custom work, but we are making an exception in this case. Please review the BuddyBoss Support Policy.

Troubleshooting and FAQs

Q: The display name format didn’t change. Why?
A: Ensure the code is added to the active theme’s functions.php file. Clear any caching plugins and refresh your site.

Q: Will this affect all areas of the site?
A: Yes. All BuddyBoss areas that display member names will now use this new format.

Q: How can I revert this change?
A: Simply remove or comment out the code from functions.php and save the file.