title: "Rename a Database | Microsoft Docs" ms.custom: "" ms.date: "11/20/2017" ms.prod: "sql" ms.prod_service: "database-engine" ms.service: "" ms.component: "databases" ms.reviewer: "" ms.suite: "sql" ms.technology:
- "database-engine" ms.tgt_pltfrm: "" ms.topic: "article" helpviewer_keywords:
- "databases [SQL Server], renaming"
- "renaming databases" ms.assetid: 44c69d35-abcb-4da3-9370-5e0bc9a28496 caps.latest.revision: 19 author: "stevestein" ms.author: "sstein" manager: "craigg" ms.workload: "Active" monikerRange: "= azuresqldb-current || >= sql-server-2016 || = sqlallproducts-allversions"
[!INCLUDEappliesto-ss-asdb-xxxx-xxx-md] This topic describes how to rename a user-defined database in [!INCLUDEssCurrent] by using [!INCLUDEssManStudioFull] or [!INCLUDEtsql]. The name of the database can include any characters that follow the rules for identifiers.
In This Topic
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Before you begin:
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To rename a database, using:
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Follow Up: After renaming a database
Note
To rename a database in Azure SQL Database, use the ALTER DATABASE (Azure SQL Database) statement. To rename a database in Azure SQL Data Warehouse or Parallel Data Warehouse, use the RENAME (Transact-SQL) statement.
- System databases cannot be renamed.
Requires ALTER permission on the database.
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In Object Explorer, connect to an instance of the [!INCLUDEssDEnoversion], and then expand that instance.
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Make sure that no one is using the database, and then set the database to single-user mode.
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Expand Databases, right-click the database to rename, and then click Rename.
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Enter the new database name, and then click OK.
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Connect to the [!INCLUDEssDE].
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From the Standard bar, click New Query.
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Copy and paste the following example into the query window and click Execute. This example changes the name of the
AdventureWorks2012database toNorthwind.
USE master;
GO
ALTER DATABASE AdventureWorks2012
Modify Name = Northwind ;
GO Back up the master database after you rename any database.