How to Rename Columns in Google Sheets

Even though there’s no specific way to rename a column in Google Sheets from the Alphabet to a custom name, there are ways to create a name to give to a column to identify it quickly and manage data effectively.

But as I said, in Google Sheets, you can’t technically rename a column itself (like you might in a database where columns have fixed names); you can add headers to columns, or you can use the new feature of Table that allows you to have a column header and stay it at the top even when you scroll down you worksheet.

Now, here in this tutorial, we will learn all the possible ways you can give a name to the columns.

 Convert to Table to have a Name for Each Column

First, I’ll share a new “Convert to Table” feature that simplifies creating and managing tables in Google Sheets. This feature was rolled out to all users in June 2024.

1. Select Your Data Range: Select the range of cells where you have data that you want to convert into a table. In our example, my data is in the range A1:D13.
2. Go to the Format Menu: Go to the “Format” menu in the toolbar. When you click on it, scroll down to find the option “Convert to table.”
3. Convert to Table: In the end, click on the “Convert to table” option to convert it to the Table.

When you convert data to a Table, it gives each column a header that can serve as a name for the column. You can see in the snapshot below that we have names for each column formatted in green.

The best part, which I like, is when I export my data as a PDF file, headers with a custom name help identify the data type in the column. And when you scroll down, the column’s name stays there to tell you the column’s name all the time.

Add Header and Freeze First Row to Rename the Column

There is no way to rename a column; you know this now, right? The second-best way is to add headers to the data and then freeze the first row. For this:

In the first row of each column, type the names you want to give to each column. In our example, we have “Month”, “Product A”, “Product B”, and “Product C”. And you can see these headers are in bold formatting and have cell color to get them to identify easily.

From here, you need to freeze the 1st row so that whenever you scroll down, the column header stays there and acts as a column name. For this, you need to select the 1st row and then go to the view menu. In the view menu, you need to find the freeze option. Now, in the freeze option, you need to click on the “1 row” and freeze the first row.

And once you do that, your sheet will look something like this.

Tips for Formatting the Header Row

As you have seen, formatting the header row dramatically enhances the readability and usability of your data.

1. Bold Text – Make your header text bold to distinguish it from the rest of the data.
2. Font Size and Style – Adjust the font size and style to make the headers stand out.
3. Background Color – Add a background color to the header row to separate it visually from the data.
4. Borders – Add borders to the header cells to define the header row clearly.
5. Text Color – Change the text color to enhance contrast and readability.

There are a few tips that you can use when creating a header row to name the columns in Google Sheets. And here to mention, adding a header to your data makes it easy to sort it.

Convert Columns into Named Range to Rename them.

You can create a named range of columns to give them a name and then use that name in formulas. Let’s say you want to give a name to column B, which has Product B sales.

 Use the below steps:

• Select Column B.
• Go to Data > Named ranges.
• In the sidebar, click Add a range
• Name the range “ProductB”.
• Ensure the range listed is B2:B100.
• Click Done.

Once you have created a named range, you can use the column’s name in your formulas instead of the cell references. For example, if you want to calculate the average for Product B for the entire year, you can use a formula like the following.

But what If I use Google Sheets on Mobile (iOS or Android)?

Let’s say you are using Google Sheets on your mobile, and now you want to freeze the first row to rename columns with header names.

To do this, tap on the row number you want to freeze. For example, if you need to freeze the first row, tap on the number “1” on the left side of the row. This will select the Row 1.

Now, tap the row number again, which will open a small pop-up with a few options. Click on the right arrow to go to the “Freeze” option and then click on to freeze the first row. You can use the header name as a column name in the worksheet.

In the end…

In a spreadsheet application like Microsoft Excel, you can change the column letter into numbers with the R1C1 reference style, but in Google Sheets, it is not possible. So, the best way is to create a column header and use them as column names.

With the introduction of Tables in Google Sheets, it has become easy to change your data into an actual table where you have names for the columns.

When you are working with data in Google Sheets, make sure to remove the blank rows from the data. If you want other users not to make changes to all the customizations you have done, you can lock the cells or an entire worksheet, and after using headers to rename columns, you can set the print area to have a specific part of the sheet for the print.