How to change Pokémon nicknames in Sword and Shield

For some Pokémon players, finding the right nickname for their latest team member is an essential, while others may never touch the nickname feature during their playthroughs.

If you’re part of the former group, chances are you’ve made a few naming decisions while playing Pokémon Sword and Shield that you’d like to go back and alter—perhaps to fit a new evolution or regional form.

Here’s how to change your Pokémon nicknames in Sword and Shield easily, including whether you can rename a traded Pokémon in the eighth generation of the franchise.

How to change Pokémon names in Sword and Shield

To rename your Pokémon in Sword and Shield, head to your nearest Pokémon Center.

If you’ve just picked up the game for the first time, you will need to play through the introduction, which includes picking your starter Pokémon, meeting your rival, and learning the game mechanics. Once you’ve played through the tutorial section of the game, you can head to a Pokémon Center.

Once you’re inside the Pokémon Center, find the Name Rater NPC at the desk to the side of the door. This NPC will let you change the name of any Pokémon that you’ve caught so far during your run. Approach them and hit A to speak, then select the “rate a nickname” option from the drop-down menu.

From here, you can select which Pokémon you want to give a new name to and type it in. The Name Rater will then confirm the name so you can double check the spelling and if you’re happy with it.

This process is entirely free, so you won’t need to spend any money. Additionally, there are no limits on how many times you can do this, as Sword and Shield does not have permanent names for your catches.

The only exception is if you’re trying to rename a Pokémon that you’ve been traded by another player. Traded Pokémon can be renamed by visiting the Name Rater in the Pokémon Center, but only if the initial trainer did not give the critter a nickname before trading it to you.

If the traded Pokémon did not have a nickname, you will be able to rename it—but only once. Make sure to think it over carefully before confirming the Pokémon’s new name. If it was already named by the previous trainer, then you won’t be able to rename it in your game.

If you’re more of a visual learner, make sure to check out the video below for a full walkthrough of how to change your Pokémon nicknames in Sword and Shield. The NPC shown in the video cover is the Name Rater, so that’s who to look out for when entering the Pokémon Center.

It’s not only nickname changes that you can get by speaking to this NPC, either. You can also access move remembering and move forgetting services, which makes it much easier to build a party to fit your battle preferences and playstyle.