I have renamed more Pals in Palworld than I care to admit, and in 2026 the process is still refreshingly simple—provided you understand one odd quirk: the game wants a fresh level-up before it hands over the nickname editor. Every Pal arrives with a default name, from the popular Lifmunk to the tiny Chikipi, and those names are cute enough. But after dozens of hours, the creatures I use most start to feel like teammates rather than collectibles. That is when a custom name matters.

The short version

I pick a Pal that is active in my party or working at my base. Those are the Pals that are actively leveling up. A Pal parked in the Palbox stays stagnant, so it is not the practical target for a rename. Then I make sure that Pal levels up just before I name it. I can take it into battle, or I can put it to work on a new base. After the level-up, I open the Main Menu, go to Party, hover over the Pal I want, and click it. At the top, next to the default name, there is an Edit button. I click Edit, a text box appears, and I type the nickname.

That is the whole flow. It is fast, it is easy, and it is easy to miss if you try to rename a Pal before it has gained a level.

Step by step

Step	What I do	Why it matters
1	Choose a Pal in my party or at my base	These are the active Pals that can level up
2	Take it into battle or assign base work until it levels up	The rename prompt is tied to a fresh level-up
3	Open the Main Menu and navigate to Party	This is where the Pal details live
4	Hover over the Pal and click it	Opens the individual Pal screen
5	Click Edit next to the default name	A text box appears for the nickname
6	Type the name and confirm	The Pal now has a custom identity

✅ My quick checklist: pick an active Pal, level it up, open Main Menu > Party, select the Pal, click Edit, and enter the name.

Why I bother naming Pals

A named Pal feels less like inventory. When I have a Chikipi that has been with me since the early game, calling it by its species name starts to feel wrong. A nickname turns it into a character. It also helps me organize base workers. If I have several Pals with similar roles, a short name like Cook, Miner, or Spark makes the base roster easier to read at a glance.

In 2026, Palworld is still a game about building bonds with strange creatures, and the rename tool is a small but meaningful part of that. It is not a headline feature. It is a quality-of-life detail that lets me shape the story of my own team.

Renaming a Pal again

If I give a Pal a nickname and later decide it does not suit them, I can rename them again. I follow the same process as before: I level up the same Pal again, then go back into the Party menu, choose the Pal, and click Edit next to their name. I have not seen a documented hard cap on renaming in 2026, but I still treat each name as a long-term choice. The safest approach is to pick something that will stick, similar to locking in your character's appearance.

That is the one part of the system I would warn new players about. The level-up requirement adds a little friction, and the game does not make a huge show of the rename button. Once I know where to look, it takes seconds. Before I know where to look, it can feel like the option is hidden.

The one quirk worth repeating

The level-up requirement is the only real friction I have found. If I try to rename a Pal straight out of the Palbox, I do not expect the same flow. I use an active Pal, give it a battle or a base job, and wait for the level-up. Then the Edit button is available in the Party menu. For me, that is a small price for a feature that makes my team feel personal.

My advice for 2026 is simple: do not rush the name. Pick a Pal you actually use, level it up, and choose a nickname that fits its role and personality. Whether it is a battle partner, a base worker, or a favorite from the early game, a good name makes the next hundred hours feel a little more like my own story.