rename

IPA/ˌriːˈneɪm/
KK[rinˈem]IPA/ˌriːˈneɪm/

rename — verb

  • renamepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • renameshe / she / it
  • renamedpast simple
  • renaming-ing form

1. to change the name that a person, place, or thing has, replacing it with a diffe

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to change the name that a person, place, or thing has, replacing it with a different one

Example

Paloma renamed her cat Mochi because the shelter had been calling it Whiskers.

rename + direct object + new name (reason clause)

The city council voted to rename Central Avenue after Dr. Ayesha Khan.

rename + [street] + after + person

Common collocations
  • rename a street
  • rename a file
  • rename a company
  • rename a building
  • renamed after someone
  • rename to something
  • officially renamed
  • recently renamed
Synonyms
  • rechristen

    informal or humorous; suggests a playful or affectionate new name

  • rebrand

    business or marketing context; implies a full image change, not just the name

  • retitle

    used for creative works such as books, films, or songs

  • relabel

    practical, often used for files, products, or physical items

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

rename + noun phrase + new name

rename + noun phrase + after + person

Usage Note

The thing being renamed is the grammatical object and goes right before the new name with no preposition between them (e.g., rename the street Mandela Road). When the new name is a proper noun, capitalisation follows the standard rules for that name.

Common Mistakes

I renamed the file as new name.
I renamed the file Summary2024.
do not insert a preposition (as/to) between the object and the new name.
They renamed the park for their founder.
They renamed the park after their founder.
use 'after' (not 'for') when stating who or what the new name honours.
We renamed the old building.' (with no new name given)
We renamed the old building the Heritage Centre.
rename almost always appears with the new name stated explicitly.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Rename is the general-purpose verb for giving any person, place, or thing a different name. Rebrand is specific to businesses, products, or organisations and suggests a complete overhaul of image and identity — not just the name — making it narrower in scope. Rechristen is informal and often playful or affectionate; you might rechristen a friend's car or a pet after a joke. Retitle applies only to creative works (books, films, songs, articles) where the 'title' rather than the 'name' is changed. For everyday use, rename covers all situations the others restrict themselves to. Example: 'The company rebranded itself with a new logo and a new mission statement, and also renamed its flagship product.'

rename ↗rebrandrechristenretitle

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • decide to rename
  • vote to rename
  • propose to rename
  • rename in honour of
  • rename after someone

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglish

Formed by adding the prefix re- ('again') to the verb name, which comes from Old English nama. The word entered English around the 1400s with the meaning 'to name again', and later developed the modern sense of discarding an old name for a new one.