How to Rename Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

Once players have gotten past the tutorial stage in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, they’re given an immense amount of freedom. From that moment through to the game’s DLC endings, players can do almost anything, the least of which is renaming their Pokemon.

Renaming Pokemon has been a part of the series since the very first generation. We have fond memories of playing Pokemon Blue on the Nintendo Game Boy, picking up a Bulbasaur, and renaming it something childish we thought was hilarious at the time. However, as the series has moved to more powerful devices and gained new mechanics, renaming Pokemon isn’t as easy as it once was. While not the hardest thing to figure out in Pokmeon Scarlet and Violet, it still took us a while to figure out how renaming works in these games.

Related: How to lock on in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet

Steps to Give Pokemon Nicknames in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet

There are two main ways to rename a Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Players can either choose a nickname when they first catch a Pokemon or open the game’s menu, hit the Check Summary option for a Pokemon, and then choose a new nickname for it.

The easiest way to rename a Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is definitely when first catching it. The game prompts players with every new catch, and that functionality won’t ever go away. It becomes annoying after a while, but it’s so useful for those of us who enjoy giving every single one of our Pokmoen a fun nickname. How else are we meant to keep track of all the Magnemites we catch when we’re trying to get 1,000 for Surprise Trades?

If players don’t want to rename their Pokemon immediately after catching it, they can skip the nicknaming process as it appears by choosing the Pokemon’s default name. As we’ve mentioned, this also doesn’t mean players can’t change a Pokemon’s nickname later down the line.

How Do You Change a Pokemon’s Nickname From the Menu in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet?

To change the name of a Pokemon from the menu in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, instead of right after catching it, players must find that Pokmeon from the menu, open the Check Summary option, and press the X button to open a keyboard. This will bring up a keyboard and allow them to change that Pokemon’s name to whatever they want.

Obviously, this only works on Pokemon currently in the player’s party. To change the name of a Pokemon in a Box, players must add that Pokemon to their party and manually change its name. This is why when doing something as silly as catching 1,000 Magnemite, it’s worth having a naming convention so those nicknames can be chosen as they’re caught.