rename

verb

re·​name (ˌ)rē-ˈnām How to pronounce rename (audio)
renamed; renaming
Synonyms of renamenext

transitive verb

: to give (someone or something) a new name
renamed the street in honor of the late mayor
… a 16-year-old who left the Orthodox life a year ago. He has renamed himself Adam to cement the break …—Ron Kampeas
The program was actually a relatively simple … script that renames files on your hard drive …—Michael J. Miller

Examples of rename in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Trump’s push to rename geographic landmarks began on his first day back in office. — Bilin Lin, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026 The bill was renamed in June after Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist from India, died while jumping after his mother when their carriage horse bolted on a sightseeing tour in the park. — Evan Simko-Bednarski, New York Daily News, 22 Oct. 2026 Originally known as Northwest Park, it was renamed in his honor in 1979. — Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 22 Oct. 2026 The two merged in October of 2016 as QuintilesIMS, and in November 2017 the company renamed itself Iqvia, with the ticker changing from Q to IQV. — Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for rename

Word History

First Known Use

1579, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rename was in 1579

Rhymes for rename

See All Rhymes for rename

Browse Nearby Words

renal splanchnic nerve
rename
Renan
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rename.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rename. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

rename

verb
re·​name
(ˈ)rē-ˈnām
: to give a new name to

More from Merriam-Webster on rename

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