Craft a name tag in Minecraftwith paper and a metal nugget

To craft a Name Tag in Minecraft, combine one Paper with one Iron, Gold or Copper Nugget in a diagonal pattern. Then rename the tag in an anvil before using it on a mob. Crafting the blank tag and giving the creature its name are two separate actions.

This recipe arrived with Tiny Takeover on 24 March 2026: Java Edition 26.1 and Bedrock Edition 26.10. Use those versions or later for the unmodified game. The method applies on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and mobile. Check the edition as well as the number: Bedrock 26.1 is an earlier release than Bedrock 26.10.

Put the paper and nugget diagonally

Open your crafting grid with one Paper and one metal nugget available. In a two-by-two grid, put the nugget in the top-right square and the Paper in the bottom-left square. Leave the other two squares empty. At a Crafting Table, use that same two-by-two pattern within the larger grid, with the Paper diagonally below and left of the nugget.

Take the Name Tag from the output slot and check that it is in your inventory. Use an Iron Nugget, Gold Nugget or Copper Nugget: an ingot is a different item. If you only have an ingot, place one in a crafting grid to turn it into nine nuggets. For Paper, put three Sugar Cane across a row at a Crafting Table to make three.

Check the version if the output stays empty

Compare the two ingredients and their positions before gathering more materials. Putting the Paper and nugget side by side misses the diagonal recipe. If the arrangement is correct, check the version running your world against Java 26.1 or Bedrock 26.10. Earlier releases use the older acquisition routes; adding more ingredients will not make this recipe available in them.

In a modpack or a world with altered recipes, ask the pack or server owner which recipe applies. Keep that separate from the standard recipe above. You can craft name tags in the normal released game from Tiny Takeover onwards, so you do not need to enable an experimental world setting just to make one.

Rename the tag at an anvil

Use an anvil and place the blank Name Tag in its left input slot. In the name field, type the name you want your mob to have. Take the renamed tag from the output on the right. For a simple rename in Survival, have one experience level available; the anvil's cost display lets you check before taking the result.

Check the tag's displayed name before approaching the animal. A blank tag still called Name Tag has not completed this step. If you change your mind before applying it, edit the tag's name at the anvil first. Keep the naming step separate from crafting: the crafting grid produces the item, while the anvil supplies the text it will apply.

Use the renamed tag on your mob

Hold the renamed tag, aim at the creature and use the item on it. On a mouse, right-click; with a controller or touch controls, use your interact action. Check that your chosen name appears above the mob. You can name animals and hostile mobs, but the Ender Dragon and other players are excluded from this method.

A named creature is protected from ordinary despawning, but a named hostile mob still disappears if you change the difficulty to Peaceful. Naming also serves a different purpose from preparing a mount. If you want an ocean companion you can ride, follow the nautilus taming and saddle steps as well.

Buy from a wandering trader instead

If you would rather buy the item, check a Wandering Trader for a Name Tag costing one Emerald. On Bedrock, the offer has a 7% probability and stocks five tags when selected, so every trader will not have it. Tiny Takeover removed librarian sales and name tags from Ancient City and Woodland Mansion chests. Use crafting or the current trader offer instead of levelling a librarian for this item.