Deep Rename

The Deep Rename tool renames both the selected objects and their underlying datablocks (mesh, curve, etc.) simultaneously using a flexible naming pattern. This “deep” behavior makes it ideal for batch-renaming assets while keeping the object names and data names in sync.

In Blender, object names and datablock names are independent. If you rename an object via the outliner, the underlying mesh/curve data keeps its old name. This leads to scenes where the object is called Tree_01 but its mesh data is still called Cube.001.

Deep Rename solves this by renaming both at once, in a single operation.

How to Use

  1. Select one or more objects in the viewport. The active object will be treated as #1.

  2. Click Deep Rename.

  3. A dialog appears with a text field for your naming pattern. The dialog shows a live preview of what the active object’s new name will be.

  4. Type your pattern using tokens (see below), or click the * and # buttons to insert tokens at the cursor.

  5. Click OK or press Enter to apply the new names to all selected objects and their datablocks.

Naming Pattern Tokens

* (Asterisk)

Expands to the original name of each object (the name before the rename). Useful for preserving the base name and adding a suffix or prefix.

Example: The pattern *_MID on an object originally named Tree produces Tree_MID.

#, ##, ###, etc. (Hash signs)

Expands to the 1-based index of each object in the selection, zero-padded to match the number of hash signs. The active object is always #1, regardless of its position in the selection.

  • # → 1, 2, 3, … (no padding)

  • ## → 01, 02, 03, … (padded to 2 digits)

  • ### → 001, 002, 003, … (padded to 3 digits)

Example: The pattern Asset_### produces Asset_001, Asset_002, Asset_003, etc.

You can combine both tokens in a single pattern, or use neither and provide a static name.

Examples

Example 1: Rename with Index

Pattern: Prop_##

Result on three selected objects:

  • Prop_01

  • Prop_02

  • Prop_03

Example 2: Preserve Original Name + Add Suffix

Pattern: *_Collision

If the selected objects are named Box, Sphere, and Cone:

Result:

  • Box_Collision

  • Sphere_Collision

  • Cone_Collision

Example 3: Combine Tokens

Pattern: Asset_*_###

If the selected objects are named Rock, Rock, and Rock (three linked duplicates):

Result:

  • Asset_Rock_001

  • Asset_Rock_002

  • Asset_Rock_003

Active Object Behavior

The active object is always treated as #1, regardless of which object you click or the order of selection. This ensures predictable numbering. If you re-select the objects in a different order, the active object still gets index 1.

This is particularly useful when working with linked duplicates — select all instances, make one the active object, and Deep Rename will respect that choice.

Linked Duplicates and Datablocks

When you have multiple objects sharing the same datablock (linked duplicates), Deep Rename only renames the datablock once. All objects pointing to that shared datablock will have their names updated independently, but the datablock gets only one new name (from whichever object is processed first).

This prevents duplicate data and keeps your scene clean:

  • Before: Five instances of a Box object all point to CubeData

  • After Deep Rename with pattern Box_##: Objects are Box_01, Box_02, …, Box_05, and they all point to Box_01

Live Preview

The dialog displays a live preview of what the active object’s name will become at both the object and data block level. As you type, the preview updates immediately, helping you verify your pattern before committing.