RENAME(1) User Contributed Perl Documentation RENAME(1)

rename - rename multiple files using perl expressions

rename [-bcfgilnv] [-B prefix] [-C command] [-S suffix] [-V method] [-Y prefix] [-z suffix] [--backup] [--command=command] [--copy] [--basename-prefix=prefix] [--dry-run] [--force] [--help] [--no-stdin] [--interactive] [--just-print] [--link-only] [--prefix=prefix] [--suffix=suffix] [--verbose] [--version-control=method] [--version] perlexpr [files]...

rename renames the filenames supplied according to the rule specified as the first argument. The argument is a Perl expression which is expected to modify the $_ string for at least some of the filenames specified. If a given filename is not modified by the expression, it will not be renamed. If no filenames are given on the command line, filenames will be read via standard input (unless --no-stdin is supplied on the command line).

If a destination file is unwritable, the standard input is a tty, and the -f or --force option is not given, rename prompts the user for whether to overwrite the file. If the response does not begin with `y' or `Y', the file is skipped.

Make backup files. That is, when about to overwrite a file, rename the original instead of removing it. See the -V or --version-control option fo details about how backup file names are determined.
Use the simple method to determine backup file names (see the -V method or --version-control=method option), and prepend prefix to a file name when generating its backup file name.
Copy files to the new names instead of renaming them. This will keep the original files.
Use command to process files instead of rename. command can contain two instances of {}, the first will be replaced with the original filename, the second with the new. Without any {}'s, the old and new filename will be appended to the command.
Remove existing destination files and never prompt the user.
Shortcut for --command "git mv".
Print a summary of options and exit.
Disable reading of filenames from STDIN. Us it when your shell has nullglob enabled to make sure rename doesn't wait for input.
Prompt whether to overwrite each destination file that already exists. If the response does not begin with `y' or `Y', the file is skipped.
Link files to the new names instead of renaming them. This will keep the original files.
Do everything but the actual renaming, instead just print the name of each file that would be renamed. When used together with --verbose, also print names of backups (which may or may not be correct depending on previous renaming).
Print the name of each file before renaming it.
Use method to determine backup file names. The method can also be given by the RENAME_VERSION_CONTROL (or if that's not set, the VERSION_CONTROL) environment variable, which is overridden by this option. This option does not affect whether backup files are made; it affects only the name of any backup files that are made.

The value of method is like the GNU Emacs `version-control' variable; rename also recognize synonyms that are more descriptive. The valid values are (unique abbreviations are accepted):

Make numbered backups of files that already have them, otherwise simple backups. This is the default.
Make numbered backups. The numbered backup file name for F is F.~N~ where N is the version number.
Make simple backups. The -B or --prefix, -Y or --basename-prefix, and -z or --suffix options specify the simple backup file name. If none of these options are given, then a simple backup suffix is used, either the value of SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX environment variable if set, or ~ otherwise.
Print version information on standard output then exit successfully.
Use the simple method to determine backup file names (see the -V method or --version-control=method option), and prefix prefix to the basename of a file name when generating its backup file name. For example, with -Y .del/ the simple backup file name for a/b/foo is a/b/.del/foo.
Use the simple method to determine backup file names (see the -V method or --version-control=method option), and append suffix to a file name when generating its backup file name.
Generate shell code for parameter completion for either bash or zsh.

To rename all files matching *.bak to strip the extension, you might say

rename 's/\.bak$//' *.bak

To translate uppercase names to lower, you'd use

rename 'y/A-Z/a-z/' *

More examples:

    rename 's/\.flip$/.flop/' *     # rename *.flip to *.flop
    rename s/flip/flop/ *           # rename *flip* to *flop*
    rename 's/^s\.(.*)/$1.X/' *     # switch sccs filenames around
    rename 's/$/.orig/' */*.[ch]    # add .orig to source files in */
    rename 'y/A-Z/a-z/' *           # lowercase all filenames in .
    rename 'y/A-Z/a-z/ if -B' *     # same, but just binaries!
or even
    rename chop *~                  # restore all ~ backup files

Use --git when working within a GIT repo:

# rename _-separated filenames to camel-case, using git mv
rename --git 's/([a-z]+)_/\u\L$1/g' *.c
# or just renaming all the *.yml files to *.yaml
rename -g 's/\.yml$/.yaml/ *.yml

With the --command parameter you can make rename do other interesing stuff like:

# make thumbnails in PNG format of all JPEG file
rename 's/\.jpg/-thumb.png/' -C 'convert {} -resize 120x120 {}' *.jpg

Two environment variables are used, SIMPLE_BACKUP_SUFFIX and VERSION_CONTROL. See "OPTIONS".

mv(1) and perl(1)

If you give an invalid Perl expression you'll get a syntax error.

Peder Stray <pederst@cpan.org>, original script from Larry Wall.

Report any issues at https://github.com/pstray/rename/issues.

2026-02-02 perl v5.42.0