If you’ve ever regretted picking a cringey summoner name you thought was cool back when you first started playing, or you’re rebranding your account for streaming or competitive play, you’ve probably asked “how do i change my name on league of legends” at least once. Most players don’t realize how straightforward the process is, even if there are a few rules and costs you need to be aware of before you dive in. I’ve gone through this process three times over the last six years, switching from a dumb meme name I made as a 16-year-old to a consistent handle I use across all my gaming accounts, so I’ve run into every common hiccup you might face. This guide breaks down every step, what you’ll pay, what names are allowed, and how to fix issues if your request gets rejected out of nowhere.
How Do I Change My Name on League of Legends: Exact Step-by-Step Process
The process takes less than five minutes total if you already have RP in your account and a name picked out. You can complete it either through the LoL desktop client or the official Riot Games website, whichever is more convenient for you. If you’re using the client, log in and head to the in-game store, then click the “Account” tab in the top right corner of the store menu. You’ll see a “Summoner Name Change” option listed right at the top of the account page.
Type your desired name into the search bar and click “Check Availability” to see if it’s up for grabs. If it’s available, you’ll be prompted to confirm your purchase with RP. Once you confirm, the name will be applied to your account immediately, though you may need to restart your client to see the change take effect across all menus. If you’re using the Riot website, log into your account management page, select the “Riot ID” tab, and edit your display name there instead.
One key thing to note as of recent Riot account updates: your summoner name in League of Legends is now tied to your Riot ID display name, so changing it will also update your handle across all other Riot games you play, including Valorant, Teamfight Tactics, and Legends of Runeterra. If you only want to change your name for LoL, that’s no longer an option, so keep that in mind if you use a different handle for other Riot titles. Always double-check the spelling of your desired name before confirming purchase, because you won’t be eligible for a refund if you accidentally type it wrong.
If you’ve been searching for how do i change my name on league of legends and keep seeing conflicting info about whether you can do it on mobile, the answer is no. You have to use the desktop client or the official Riot website to process a name change, as the mobile app for LoL doesn’t support account modification features right now.
How Much Does a League of Legends Name Change Cost?
A standard name change costs 1300 RP, which works out to roughly $10 USD, since you can buy 1380 RP for a $10 purchase. You can’t use Blue Essence for name changes anymore, that option was phased out back in 2021, so don’t waste time scrolling through the Blue Essence store looking for it. If you’re not in a rush to change your name, you can wait for one of Riot’s periodic name change sales, where the price drops to 650 RP, half the regular cost.
Name change sales usually run 2-3 times a year, so hold off if you don’t need to switch your name immediately to save some cash. Riot usually announces these sales a week in advance on their official social media channels and in-client news feed, so keep an eye out if you’re planning a rebrand soon.
The only time you can get a free name change is if Riot forces you to reset your current name because it violates their terms of service. If that happens, you’ll get a notification in your client and a free credit to pick a new, appropriate name. If you refuse to pick a compliant name within the given timeframe, Riot will assign a random generic name to your account until you choose something that fits the rules. You can’t request a free name change just because you don’t like your current one, though, even if you’ve had it for 10+ years.
Official Riot Naming Rules You Need to Follow First
Before you spend RP on a name change, make sure your desired name doesn’t violate Riot’s terms of service, or it will get rejected, and you might even face a temporary penalty if you try to bypass the rules repeatedly. The filter catches most obvious violations automatically, but some names can slip through initially only to be reported later by other players, which can lead to a forced name reset with no refund. The core naming rules are:
- No hate speech, slurs, or references to violence, self-harm, or illegal activities of any kind, even if they’re disguised as misspellings or memes
- No impersonation of Riot employees, pro players, or public figures with the intent to mislead other players or scam people
- No names that include personally identifiable information like your real full name, address, phone number, or school name
- No excessively long names, unsupported special characters, or non-standard spacing that makes it hard for other players to report you if needed
I’ve seen players lose their name change credit because they tried to sneak a subtle slur past the filter, so don’t risk it. Even if the system approves your name initially, enough player reports will trigger a manual review from Riot’s moderation team, and if they find it violates rules, you’ll have to change it again without getting your RP back. I had a friend who tried to change his name to “CaitlynMain” a while back, but it got flagged because the filter misread part of it as a slur, so he added an underscore and it worked fine on the second try.
If your desired name is taken, you can add small, appropriate modifiers like a champion main reference or a regional tag to make it unique. If the name you want is currently taken by an inactive account, Riot releases unused names in batches every few months, so you can check back periodically to see if it becomes available. You don’t need to contact support to request a taken name, they won’t release it to you unless the account has been inactive for at least two years.
Common Name Change Issues and How to Fix Them
The most common issue players face is a name showing as available but failing to process when they try to buy it. That usually happens because the filter flagged it for a hidden violation, even if it seems totally innocent. Try adding a small modifier like a number or underscore, or pick a slightly different variation. If you’re 100% sure the name doesn’t violate any rules, you can submit a support ticket to Riot to request a manual review, but that usually takes 2-3 business days to process.
Another common issue is the name not showing up in game after you complete the purchase. Restart your client first, that fixes 90% of sync issues right away. If it still doesn’t update after 24 hours, reach out to Riot support with a screenshot of your purchase receipt, and they’ll manually push the update to your account. You won’t lose any progress or skins while you wait for the issue to be fixed, all your account data stays intact regardless of your display name.
If you accidentally bought a name change credit you don’t want to use yet, you can request a refund within 14 days as long as you haven’t already used it to pick a new name. Refunds for used name changes are only approved in very rare cases, like if you had a typo that you can prove was a mistake. You can only change your name once every 30 days, so make sure you’re 100% happy with your pick before you confirm—you won’t be able to switch it again for a month even if you have extra RP to spend.
If someone is using your legal full name as their summoner name and you want it removed, you can submit a support ticket to Riot with proof of your identity, and they’ll force the other user to change their name for free. This only applies to your full legal name, not usernames or nicknames you use online.
At the end of the day, asking how do i change my name on league of legends is a common question for players who want a fresh start with their account identity. As long as you follow the naming rules, have enough RP to cover the cost, and double check your spelling before you confirm, the whole process takes less than five minutes. If you run into any snags that aren’t covered here, Riot’s support team usually responds to name change requests within 2-3 business days. Your summoner name is the first impression other players get of you, so pick something you’ll be proud of for years to come. Don’t let that old cringey summoner name hold you back from enjoying your games with friends.