Changing your Activision name through Battle.net

You change your Activision account name by logging into Battle.net, going to your Account Settings, and updating the name in the Profile section. The process takes a few minutes and takes effect immediately, though the name change may not show up in-game right away depending on which Activision game you play.

Your Battle.net name is separate from your in-game character name. Changing your Battle.net name affects how other players see you across all Activision games — Call of Duty, World of Warcraft, Overwatch, Diablo, and others. Your character names within individual games stay the same unless you change them separately through that game's settings.

You can change your Battle.net name once every 30 days. If you change it and then want to change it again, you will need to wait the full month before making another change.

Key Takeaways

  • Log into Battle.net on a web browser, click your account icon, and select Account Settings to find the Profile section where you can edit your name.
  • Your Battle.net name change shows across all Activision games but does not automatically change character names you have created within individual games.
  • You can change your Battle.net name once every 30 days, and the change takes effect immediately.
  • If you have a character name you want to change in World of Warcraft or another game, you will need to use that game's separate name-change feature and may need to pay a fee.

Step-by-step: updating your Battle.net profile name

Start by going to the Battle.net website and logging in with your email and password. Once you are logged in, look for your account icon or profile picture in the top right corner of the page and click it.

From the dropdown menu, select "Account Settings." On the Account Settings page, find and click the "Profile" tab on the left side. In the Profile section, you will see a field labeled "Battle Tag" or "Name" — this is what other players see when you play together. Click the edit button next to it, type your new name, and click Save.

The name change takes effect right away, though it may take a few minutes to show up in-game. If you are already logged into a game when you make the change, you may need to log out and back in to see the new name appear.

What happens to your old name after you change it

Once you change your Battle.net name, your old name becomes available for someone else to use. You cannot reserve it or get it back unless you change your name back to it within 30 days. After 30 days, if you want to use that old name again, you would have to wait for someone else to stop using it or change your name to something else and then back again.

Other players who had you on their friends list will still see you as a friend after you change your name — the friendship does not break. However, if someone tries to search for your old name, they will not find you.

Changing character names within individual games

Your Battle.net name is different from character names you create in games like World of Warcraft, Diablo, or Overwatch. If you want to change a character's name within a specific game, you need to use that game's own name-change feature, not the Battle.net profile settings.

In World of Warcraft, you can change a character name by going to the WoW website, logging in, selecting the character, and paying a fee (usually around $10). In Overwatch 2, your character name is your Battle.net name, so changing your Battle.net name changes how you appear in that game. In Diablo, character names are tied to your account and can be changed through the game's settings or the Diablo website.

Check the specific game's support page if you are unsure whether the name you want to change is a Battle.net name or a character name, because the process and any fees involved differ between games.

Troubleshooting: name change not showing up

If you changed your Battle.net name but it is still showing your old name in-game, try logging out completely and logging back in. Close the game entirely, not just the character select screen, and restart it. Sometimes the game client caches your old name and needs a full restart to refresh.

If the name still does not update after a full restart, wait 15 to 30 minutes — Activision's servers sometimes take time to sync the change across all games. If it has been more than an hour and the name still has not changed, check the Battle.net website to confirm the name change actually saved. If it did save on the website but is not showing in-game, contact Activision Support through the Battle.net website and describe what you see.

Restrictions on Battle.net names

Activision does not allow certain words or phrases in Battle.net names. Names cannot contain profanity, slurs, or references to real people or organizations that could be offensive. Names also cannot be longer than a certain character limit (usually around 12 characters for the display name).

If you try to save a name and get an error message, the name likely violates Activision's naming policy. Try a different name. If you believe your name was rejected unfairly, you can contact Activision Support, though they will not override the policy to allow a name that breaks the rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does changing my Battle.net name change my character names in World of Warcraft?

No. Your Battle.net name and your WoW character names are separate. Changing your Battle.net name does not change any character names you have in World of Warcraft. If you want to change a WoW character's name, you need to use the WoW name-change feature on the WoW website and pay the associated fee.

Can I change my Battle.net name more than once a month?

No. You can change your Battle.net name once every 30 days. If you change it and want to change it again, you must wait 30 days from the date of your last change before you can make another one.

What if someone else takes the name I just changed from?

Once you change your Battle.net name, your old name becomes available for anyone else to use. You cannot reserve it. If you want that name back, you would have to wait for the person using it to change their name, or you could change your current name to something else and then back to your old name (after waiting 30 days between changes).

Do my friends still see me after I change my name?

Yes. Players who have you on their friends list will still see you as a friend after you change your name. The friendship connection does not break. However, if someone searches for your old name, they will not find you — they would need to search for your new name.