How do I rename a local Git branch?

Question

How do I rename a local branch which has not yet been pushed to a remote repository?

user_3375906 · Answer

Rename the branch will be useful once your branch is finished. Then new stuff is coming, and you want to develop in the same branch instead of deleting it and create the new one.

From my experience, to rename a local and remote branch in Git you should do the following steps.

Quoting from Multiple States - Rename a local and remote branch in git

1. Rename your local branch

If you are on the branch you want to rename:

git branch -m new-name

If you are on a different branch:

git branch -m old-name new-name

2. Delete the old-name remote branch and push the new-name local branch

git push origin :old-name new-name

3. Reset the upstream branch for the new-name local branch

git push origin -u new-name

user_23886 · Answer

I foolishly named a branch starting with a hyphen, and then checked out master. I didn't want to delete my branch, I had work in it.

Neither of these worked:

git checkout -dumb-name

git checkout -- -dumb-name

"s, 's and \s didn't help either. git branch -m doesn't work.

Here's how I finally fixed it. Go into your working copy's .git/refs/heads, find the filename "-dumb-name", get the hash of the branch. Then this will check it out, make a new branch with a sane name, and delete the old one.

git checkout {hash}
git checkout -b brilliant-name
git branch -d -- -dumb-name

user_5661594 · Answer

Just three steps to replicate change in name on remote as well as on GitHub:

Step 1 git branch -m old_branchname new_branchname

Step 2 git push origin :old_branchname new_branchname

Step 3 git push --set-upstream origin new_branchname

user_8740387 · Answer

Update 2022

Before we begin, make sure you’ve selected the branch you want to rename:

git checkout old-name

If you want to see all of your local branches, use the following command:

git branch --list

When you’re all clear, follow these steps:

Using the Git rename branch command will require you to add an -m option to your command:
```
git branch -m new-name
```
You can also rename a local branch from another branch by using the following two commands:
```
git checkout master

git branch -m old-name new-name
```
Lastly, this command will list all — both local and remote — branches to verify that it has been renamed:
```
git branch -a
```

Although it isn’t possible to rename a remote branch directly, the process of renaming one involves these two easy steps:

To start, you will need to rename a local branch by following the previous steps. 2.Then delete the old branch and push the new one. You can do this easily with the following command:
```
 git push origin :old-name new-name
```
Reset the upstream branch for your new local branch, and you will be all set:
```
git push origin -u new-name
```

user_14141164 · Answer

To rename your current branch to a new branch name

git branch -m

This will set the new name for the current branch you are working with.

To re-name another branch

git branch -m

Here you have to provide the old branch name and the new branch name.

user_6877799 · Answer

Actually you have three steps because the local branch has a duplicate on the server so we have one step for local on two steps on the server:

Rename local: just use the following command to rename your current branch, even you checked it out:
```
git branch -m  
```
Delete the server one: use the following command to delete the old name branch on the server:
```
git push  :
```
Push the new one: now it's time to push the new branch named on the server:
```
git push -u 
```

user_3070485 · Answer

For Git GUI users it couldn't be much simpler. In Git GUI, choose the branch name from the drop down list in the "Rename Branch" dialog box created from the menu item Branch:Rename, type a New Name, and click "Rename". I have highlighted where to find the drop down list.

user_12539335 · Answer

To rename a local branch on GitHub Desktop, click on the Current Branches tab (to the right of current repository), right click on the branch you want to rename and click on rename. You will then be prompted with a popup where you can rename.

user_13078639 · Answer

Offical Command from Git Itself. Try this one. It works for me.

The default branch has been renamed! {oldBranchName} is now named {NewBranchName} If you have a local clone, you can update it by running the following commands.

git branch -m {oldBranchName} {NewBranchName}
git fetch origin
git branch -u origin/{NewBranchName} {NewBranchName}
git remote set-head origin -a

Admin · Answer

All you have to do are the three steps:

Give the old branch under .git/refs/heads the new name
Give the old branch under .git/logs/refs/heads the new name
Update the .git/HEAD to lead to your new branch name

user_11373095 · Answer

Rename a local branch:

git branch -m
Push the new branch:

git push --set-upstream origin

user_2983185 · Answer

git branch -m [old-branch] [new-branch]

-m means move all from [old-branch] to [new-branch] and remember you can use -M for other file systems.

user_6313836 · Answer

In Visual Studio:

Git → Manage Branches → Branches → your_repository → your_branch → Rename