If you’ve ever logged into League of Legends and cringed at the edgy summoner name you picked when you were 13, you’re not alone. Thousands of players ask can you change your name on league of legends every month, and the short answer is yes, but there are a few rules and costs you need to know before you get started. I’ve gone through this process three times myself over the years, including when I rebranded my stream account last year, so I know all the pitfalls to avoid to keep your account safe and keep all your hard-earned skins and rank progress. You don’t have to stick with a name you hate forever, but it’s worth doing a little prep work first to make sure the process goes smoothly.
Can You Change Your Name on League of Legends: Eligibility Rules First
Before you get your heart set on that perfect new summoner name, you need to make sure you meet Riot’s basic eligibility requirements for a name change. First, your desired name has to be available, meaning no other active LoL account is already using it. It also has to follow Riot’s community guidelines, so it can’t include hate speech, slurs, impersonation of Riot staff, trademarked brand names, or content that targets specific groups of people. I once tried to change my name to a pun on a popular champion that included a mild swear word, and Riot rejected it immediately, so I had to pick a different option without getting a refund on the RP I already spent. That's why it's always worth double checking the name against Riot's published community guidelines before you complete your purchase.
You also can’t request a name change if your account is currently under restriction or has a pending ban. You’ll need to resolve any account issues first before the system will let you purchase a name change. The only time you’ll get a free name change is if Riot forces you to change your existing name for violating guidelines, otherwise you’ll have to pay for the change yourself. You do not lose any rank, skins, mastery points, or match history when you change your summoner name, so you don’t have to worry about erasing years of progress just to pick a better alias. Old names are held for 14 days after a change before they’re released back to the public, so if you change your mind quickly, you might be able to reclaim your old name before anyone else takes it.
How Much Does a League of Legends Name Change Cost?
Riot charges 1300 RP for a single summoner name change, which is the standard pricing across all regions. For players in regions like EUW or NA, 1300 RP usually comes out to around $10, but pricing varies slightly depending on local currency conversion rates. You can buy RP directly through the client with a credit card, PayPal, or prepaid gift cards sold at most gaming retailers. There’s no limit to how many times you can change your name, but you’ll have to pay the 1300 RP fee every time you make a switch.
Many new players ask if they can use Blue Essence to pay for a name change, since it’s the free in-game currency you earn from playing matches. As of the latest Riot policy updates, Blue Essence can no longer be used to purchase summoner name changes. The Blue Essence name change option was phased out a few years ago, and there’s no indication it will be coming back any time soon. If you don’t want to spend real money on a name change, your only other option is to earn RP through official Riot events or giveaways, but these opportunities are pretty rare. Name changes are non-refundable, so make sure you’re 100% happy with your chosen name before you hit the confirm button.
Step-by-Step Process to Change Your LoL Summoner Name
The name change process only takes a few minutes once you have enough RP in your account. You can complete it either through the League of Legends client or the official Riot account management website, depending on which you find easier. I recommend doing the name change through the Riot account website instead of the client if you're having trouble with the availability checker, since the website updates its name database faster than the in-client store sometimes. I ran into this issue last year when I was changing my stream account name: the client said the name was taken, but the website showed it was available, and I was able to claim it without any issues.
If your new name doesn’t show up in matches right away, just restart your client and it should update within a few minutes. If you play other Riot games like Valorant or Teamfight Tactics, your name change will apply to all of those games too, so make sure you’re happy with the name for all of your Riot account activity, not just LoL. Your friends list will still have you added, and they’ll get a small notification that you changed your name, so you don’t have to worry about everyone losing contact with you after the switch. Third-party stat tracking sites might take a few days to update your new name, so don’t panic if your match history doesn’t show up immediately on those platforms.
Common Mistakes to Avoid When Changing Your LoL Name
Even though the name change process is pretty straightforward, there are a few common mistakes that can cost you RP or even put your account at risk. First, don’t try to use special characters that look like regular letters to get a popular name that’s already taken. Riot’s system now flags most of these fake character names, and you’ll be forced to change it within a few weeks if you use one, wasting the RP you spent on the original change. It's better to pick a unique name you love that doesn't rely on tricky character workarounds.
Another common scam to watch out for is third-party sellers offering rare summoner names for a discounted price. These sellers usually either steal names from inactive accounts or sell names that Riot will eventually reclaim for violating guidelines. Never share your account login details with anyone offering to get you a rare name for a discounted price, because they can easily steal your account and all of your skins in the process. It’s not worth risking years of progress just to get a trendy name.
If you’re attached to your old name and want to keep anyone else from taking it, there’s a simple trick to hold onto it. If you want to hold onto your old name, make sure you create a secondary account and claim it right after you change your main account's name, because popular names get taken within minutes of being released back to the public. Just make sure you log into that secondary account at least once every six months to keep it active, otherwise Riot might delete the account and release the name again.
At the end of the day, if you're tired of your old summoner name and ready for a fresh start, can you change your name on league of legends is an easy yes, as long as you have the RP to spend and pick a name that follows Riot's rules. The process only takes a couple of minutes, and you won't lose any of the progress you've built on your account over the years. Just make sure you double check the spelling of your new name before you confirm, because you'll have to wait until you can afford another 1300 RP if you want to change it again right away. There’s no shame in ditching that old cringey name you picked as a teen – thousands of players do it every year, and it’s a small cost to feel more connected to your account.