Facebook is launching a system to verify the identities of certain public figures, which will allow them to display a nickname or pseudonym rather than their birth names, according to TechCrunch.

People can't apply to be verified; Facebook will choose which users have this option and notify them through their profile, TechCrunch said.

They will then have to provide Facebook with a picture of a government-issued ID, which Facebook will delete once the process is completed. The person can also submit a commonly used pseudonym, nickname, or stage name.

For example, rapper and hip hop mogul Diddy, whose given name is Sean Combs, would verify with Facebook that he is in fact Sean Combs. He could then opt to have Diddy (or P.Diddy or Puffy or whatever name he is currently using) appear as his name. Sean Combs would be included somewhere else on his profile.

This process is an effort to prevent people from following updates of impostors. However, unlike Twitter, there won't be anything on the profile that designates it as verified. TechCrunch said the person will just show up more prominently in Facebook's suggestions of "People To Subscribe To."

Similarly, Google+ last month starting allowing pseudonyms and nicknames.

Facebook irked author Salman Rushdie late last year when it disabled his account because it did not reflect his real first name. His given name is Ahmed Salman Rushdie, but, as he explained via Twitter, he's always gone by his middle name. Facebook eventually reactivated his account and offered an apology.

Update: Facebook responded to PCMag with the following statement:

"We are rolling out a minor update to our Subscribe feature. Starting today, we'll be testing a verification process for people with a large number of subscribers.The new process enables people to verify their identities by submitting a government issued ID. Once verified, they'll also have the option to more prominently display an alternate name (nickname, maiden name, byline, etc.) on their timelines in addition to their real name. This update makes it even easier for subscribers to find and keep up with journalists, celebrities and other public figures they want to connect to."