How to Change Your Etsy Shop Name (Rules and Limits Explained)

Lots of Etsy sellers start with a name that made sense on day one and feels wrong a year later. Maybe you began with earrings and now make homeware, or you picked something quickly just to get the shop open. A better name can make your shop easier to remember, easier to search for and easier to say out loud when someone asks where you sell.

Etsy lets you rename your shop yourself, but it puts a limit on how many times, and the new name has strict rules. So it's worth getting the name right before you hit Save. Here's how to do it, following Etsy's own help pages, plus what changes for your customers afterwards.

Changing your Etsy shop name in Shop Manager

Etsy's help gives these steps for Etsy.com:

1. Sign in on Etsy.com and open Shop Manager.
2. Select Settings, then Your shop.
3. Under Shop name, select Edit.
4. Type your new name.
5. Select Save.

Etsy also mentions an alternative route for open shops: Info & Appearance, under the Shop Name tab. Menus can shift between versions, so use whichever one you see.

Etsy shop name rules to check first

• Up to 20 characters.
• No spaces and no punctuation. Etsy suggests capital letters to separate the words, so MossAndMaple rather than moss and maple.
• It can't be a name already used by an open shop, even if that shop later closed.
• It can't be a name you used before on a different Etsy account, even a closed one.

That last point surprises people. Etsy's help says closing an account won't free up the shop name for re-use on a new account. If you want an old name back, Etsy suggests reopening the old shop instead.

How many times can you change your Etsy shop name?

Your shop	What Etsy allows
Not open yet	Change the name as often as you like
Open	Up to 5 changes in Your shop settings
Open, after 5 changes	Further changes need approval from Etsy Support
Only changing capital letters	Doesn't count as a change
Going back to a previous name	Doesn't count as a change

My advice: decide on your name before you open the shop if you can, because that's when changes are unlimited. If your shop is already open, treat each change as precious.

What happens after you rename your Etsy shop

Your shop name is part of your shop web address, either etsy.com/shop/ followed by your name or your name followed by .etsy.com. When you change the name, Etsy's help says:

• Your shop URL updates to the new name.
• Links that use the old name redirect to the new one, so old links in your bio or packaging still work.
• Other sellers can't take your previous shop name.
• An icon appears next to your shop name for 45 days to show that it changed.

That icon is there for transparency, so regular customers don't think they've landed on a different seller.

I'd still tell your regulars yourself. A short note in your shop announcement, a line in your next email to past customers and a post on your social channels saying the shop has a new name, and why, turns a possibly confusing moment into a little bit of news. People like hearing the story behind a rebrand, and it reassures anyone who bookmarked your shop that they've found the right place. If you have repeat buyers who message you, mention it in your replies for a few weeks too.

Updating your Etsy shop branding after the name change

Etsy reminds you to update anything that still mentions the old name. Here's a list I'd work through the same day:

1. Shop logo and banner.
2. Shop announcement.
3. About section.
4. Listing photos with the old name on them.
5. Your social media bios and link-in-bio pages.
6. Business cards, stickers and packaging inserts, next time you reprint.
7. Email signature and any website that links to your shop.

While you're refreshing things, it's a good moment to tidy your listings too. My ChatGPT prompts for Etsy product descriptions can help you rewrite them in the voice of your new name.

Choosing an Etsy shop name you won't want to change again

• Say it out loud. If you have to spell it every time, it'll be hard to find.
• Leave room to grow. A name tied to one product can box you in.
• Check it fits in 20 characters without awkward abbreviations.
• Search Etsy and social platforms to make sure nobody else is known by it.
• Make sure you're happy to see it in your URL for years.

If you sell from outside the big markets, the name also helps people abroad trust you. I've covered setting up from different countries in guides such as selling on Etsy from Malaysia.

If you can't change your Etsy shop name

1. Check the length and characters: 20 or fewer, no spaces, no punctuation.
2. Try a variation if Etsy says the name is taken. Names used on open shops can't be reused.
3. Count your changes. After 5 on an open shop, contact Etsy Support for approval.
4. If someone else is using a name you hold the rights to, Etsy says you can contact that member or file an intellectual property notice, though filing doesn't free up the name for you.

Frequently asked questions

How do I change my Etsy shop name?

On Etsy.com, go to Shop Manager, then Settings, then Your shop. Select Edit under Shop name, type the new name and select Save.

How many times can I change my Etsy shop name?

As often as you like before your shop opens. After it opens, up to 5 times in your settings, then Etsy Support has to approve further changes.

Will my old Etsy links still work after a name change?

Yes. Etsy's help says links to the old name redirect to the new one.

Can I use spaces in my Etsy shop name?

No. Etsy doesn't allow spaces or punctuation, and names can be up to 20 characters. Use capital letters to separate words.

Will customers know I changed my shop name?

Etsy shows an icon next to your shop name for 45 days after a change, so returning customers can see it's the same shop.