How To Get A Name Tag In Minecraft

You can use Name Tags in "Minecraft" to rename nearly any NPC, and prevent them from despawning.
Unlike most "Minecraft" items, you can't craft Name Tags — you'll have to find them randomly, or trade for them.
Giving certain NPCs certain names can trigger unique effects.
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If you've spent a lot of time in "Minecraft" visiting and trading with a single village, you might grow attached to the NPCs in the town. Luckily, there's a great way to both make your NPCs feel special, and help them stand out from other similar characters.

Here's everything to know about Name Tags, rare "Minecraft" items that can help personalize your game — including where to find them and how to use them.

How Name Tags work in 'Minecraft'

Name Tags are items that, when placed on an NPC, give them a unique name. The name you give will be displayed above their head whenever you get close and look at them.

A creeper with a Name Tag, renamed to "Steve."

Naming an NPC also makes it so they'll never despawn. This means that if you rename a random zombie in a cave, for instance, that zombie will remain there forever, even if you leave and never come back. However, renamed NPCs can still die, at which point you'll lose the Name Tag.

Every NPC can be renamed except for the Ender Dragon. You can't rename other players.

Unlike most things in "Minecraft," you can't actually craft a Name Tag. You'll have to find or trade for this one. This can take awhile if you don't know where to look.

Fortunately, there's a few reliable locations to loot a Tag, one surefire way to trade for them, and even a method involving fishing — although you'll need to be lucky.

How to find a Name Tag in 'Minecraft'

Here's three different ways you get a Name Tag.

How to use your Name Tag in 'Minecraft'

Giving the Name Tag a name

Before you can assign a name to a mob creature, you need to write the name you want onto the Name Tag. Luckily, you can do this with a simple anvil.

1. Place your anvil and use it, which will open a menu.

2. Drag your Name Tag into one of the left two slots near the top, and type in its new name in the text box at the top.

3. When you're ready, drag the completed Name Tag on the right back into your inventory.

Preparing a Name Tag will take one experience level.

Naming a Name Tag will cost one experience level. If you don't have enough experience, go out and kill mobs until you level up.

Use the Name Tag on an NPC

You're now ready to use the Name Tag to rename an NPC.

1. Find the NPC you want to rename. Again, this can be any NPC except for the Ender Dragon.

2. Put the Name Tag into one of your inventory's nine hotbar slots and hold it.

Hold the Name Tag and use it on the NPC you want.

3. Use the Name Tag on the NPC. This will default to double-clicking on a mouse, or the left trigger on a controller.

Your Name Tag will disappear, and a name will appear above the NPC's head.

Although a creature won't despawn anymore once given a Name Tag, they can still be killed. Once a renamed NPC dies, their name will disappear.

If you're not sure what you want to name an NPC, check out some of the easter eggs below.

Emma Witman is an Asheville, NC-based freelance journalist with a keen interest in writing about hardware, PC gaming, politics, and personal finance. She is a former crime reporter for a daily newspaper, and has also written extensively about bartending for Insider. She may or may not judge your drink order when behind the bar. Follow her on Twitter at @emwity.