We’ve all been there: you picked a cringey LoL name when you were 13 that references a long-dead meme, or your old in-game alias doesn’t match the new gamer tag you use across Steam, Discord, and Valorant, or you just got bored of the same moniker you’ve had for 6 years of climbing ranked. If you’re wondering how to change my League of Legends name without running into unnecessary headaches, you’re in the right place. I’ve changed my own LoL name three times over the years, and made every possible mistake along the way—from picking a name that got flagged for violating Riot’s policies to wasting 1300 RP because I misspelled the alias I wanted. This guide walks you through every step, including hidden rules you won’t find on the official support page at first glance, so you don’t waste time or money on a failed name change.
How to Change My League of Legends Name: Full Step-by-Step Walkthrough
The process for updating your in-game display name is much simpler now that Riot has moved all accounts to the unified Riot ID system, instead of separate summoner names for each region. You don’t need to launch the LoL client to change your name—you can complete the entire process from any desktop or mobile browser, which is perfect if you don’t have access to your gaming PC right now. First, head to the official Riot Account Management page and log in with the credentials tied to your LoL account. Make sure you have two-factor authentication turned on if you have it enabled, as you’ll need to enter the code before you can access account settings.
Once you’re logged in, navigate to the Riot ID tab on the left-hand menu. You’ll see your current display name and tagline (the 3-5 character code after the # symbol) listed here. Click the “Edit” button next to your Riot ID, and you’ll be able to type in your new desired display name and adjust your tagline if you want. If you’re following this guide on how to change my League of Legends name on a mobile device, the process is exactly the same—just visit the Riot account site through your mobile browser, no separate app required.
Before you hit confirm, take a second to review your entry. Double check the spelling of your new name before confirming, because Riot does not offer refunds or reversals for name changes that you requested by mistake. If you have a free name change token in your account, it will be applied automatically before you are asked to pay RP. Once you confirm, the change will go into effect immediately, and your new name will show up the next time you launch the LoL client.
Key Naming Rules You Need to Follow Before Submitting Your New Name
Picking a fun, unique name is half the fun of changing your alias, but you have to stay within Riot’s official naming policies to avoid having your new name rejected or rolled back later. Many players assume that if the system says a name is available, it’s automatically allowed, but that’s not the case—Riot’s automated filter only catches the most obvious violations, and human moderators can flag names up to 7 days after you change it.
Names with special characters are only allowed if they are supported by the LoL client—most accented letters, non-English characters, and standard punctuation are fine, but emojis, custom symbols, and unrecognized Unicode characters will be rejected immediately. You also can’t use a name that is already tied to another active Riot account, though you can adjust your tagline to match a display name that someone else uses if you want.
Some of the most common reasons new names get rejected include:
- Using terms related to real-world violence, hate groups, or discriminatory language targeting protected groups including race, gender, religion, and disability
- Adding "Riot" or "Riot Games" to any part of your display name or tagline, even as a joke, to avoid impersonation of official staff
- Including your full name, phone number, address, or other private contact information that could put your safety at risk
- Copying the exact Riot ID of a professional LoL esports player or popular content creator to trick other users into thinking you are that person
- Using excessive special characters that make your name unreadable for other players in in-game chat or on the post-game scoreboard
If your name gets flagged after you’ve already confirmed the change, Riot will send you an email with instructions to pick a new name for free, but you won’t get a refund for the RP or token you used for the original change. It’s much better to check your name against these rules upfront to avoid that hassle.
How Much Does a LoL Name Change Cost, and Are There Free Options?
Most players will have to pay to change their display name, but the cost is pretty low compared to other in-game purchases. A standard display name change costs 1300 RP, which works out to roughly $10 USD depending on your region and the RP bundle you purchase. If you only want to change your tagline (the code after the #), that’s completely free to do once every 30 days, no RP required.
You can only change your display name once every 90 days, even if you have extra RP or name change tokens to spend, so make sure you’re 100% happy with your choice before you confirm the purchase. This cooldown is in place to cut down on trolling, where players change their names constantly to avoid being reported for toxic behavior.
There are a few rare cases where you can get a free name change, though. If Riot forces you to change your existing name because it violates their community policies, you’ll get a free name change token added to your account automatically. Riot also occasionally gives out free name change tokens as part of loyalty rewards for players who have had their accounts for 5+ years, or as part of special in-game events. If your account was recently compromised, or a Riot server error changed your name without your permission, you can reach out to Riot support to request a free name change token as well.
Fixes for Common LoL Name Change Errors
Most name changes go through without any issues, but there are a few common errors that players run into regularly. The most frequent one is the “name not available” error, even when you search for the name and can’t find any account using it. Riot reserves thousands of names for official use, esports players, and future events, even if they aren’t tied to an active account right now, so you won’t be able to claim those reserved names.
Another common issue is a failed payment where your RP is deducted from your account but your name doesn’t change. In most cases, this is just a processing delay, and your name will update within 24 hours. If it still hasn’t changed after that, you can reach out to Riot support with your transaction ID, and they’ll either process the change manually or refund your RP.
If you recently transferred your account to a different region, you have to wait 30 days before you can change your name—this is a security measure to prevent account thieves from transferring stolen accounts and changing the name to avoid detection. You also won’t be able to change your name if you have an active report or penalty on your account for toxic behavior, until the penalty is resolved.
If your new name shows up in your account settings but doesn’t appear in game, the fix is usually simple: just close the LoL client completely and restart it. If that doesn’t work, log out of your Riot account on the client and log back in, and the new name should sync right away.
Changing your in-game alias should be a fun, simple process, not a frustrating chore that wastes your time or hard-earned RP. Now that you know how to change my League of Legends name without running into common pitfalls, you can pick a name that fits your current vibe, matches your cross-platform gamer tag, or just lets you leave that old cringey alias in the past where it belongs. Take two minutes to double check the spelling and policy compliance before you hit confirm, and you’ll be showing off your new name in your next ranked game or ARAM queue in no time. If you run into any unusual issues that aren’t covered here, you can always reach out to Riot support for further help, as long as you have your account information handy.