Key takeaways
- Edit variant option names (e.g., “Size”, “Color”) from the product’s Variants section.
- Edit individual variant values (S, M, L) by clicking into the option in the same section.
- Changing variant names affects how they display on existing orders.
- Variant names don’t change the URL - the variant ID is what gets used in cart links.
Shopify’s variant system is flexible, but the renaming process isn’t always obvious. Here’s exactly how to do it.
Why you can trust us
We’ve worked with hundreds of Shopify merchants on product data and storefront setup. We also built Fudge — an AI storefront editor with a 5.0 rating on the Shopify App Store.
Understanding the difference: option names vs. option values
Before editing, it helps to know what you’re actually changing.
Option name - the label for a variant group. Examples: “Size”, “Color”, “Material”, “Fit”. This appears as the heading above the variant selector on the product page.
Option value - the specific choices within an option. For “Size”, the values might be “XS”, “S”, “M”, “L”, “XL”.
You can rename both independently.
How to rename a variant option name
Step 1. Go to Products and open the product.
Step 2. Scroll to the Variants section.
Step 3. You’ll see your current option names listed (e.g., “Size”, “Color”). Click the pencil/edit icon next to the option name you want to rename, or click directly on the option name.
Step 4. Update the name (e.g., change “Size” to “Fit”).
Step 5. Save.
The updated name appears immediately on the product page as the label for that variant group.
How to rename individual variant values
Step 1. Go to Products and open the product.
Step 2. Scroll to the Variants section.
Step 3. Click Edit variants (or the option group you want to edit).
Step 4. Click into the specific value you want to change (e.g., click “S” to rename it to “Small”).
Step 5. Update the text and save.
Repeat for each value you want to rename.
Can I add a different description for each variant?
Shopify’s built-in description field applies to the whole product, not individual variants. There is no native per-variant description field.
Options for variant-specific content:
- Variant metafields - define a metafield for variants (Settings > Custom data > Product variants), fill it in per variant, and display it dynamically on the product page via the Theme Editor or Liquid code.
- JavaScript-based switching - some themes update a text block on the page when a variant is selected, pulling from a data attribute. Requires theme customisation.
- Fudge - describe what you want (e.g., “Show a different size guide text depending on which size variant is selected”) and Fudge builds it in your theme.
What to watch out for when renaming variants
Existing orders display variant names as they were at time of purchase. Renaming a variant doesn’t retroactively change how it appears in older orders. This is usually fine, but be aware if you run reports that reference variant names.
Third-party app integrations. If an app (e.g., a subscription app, a bundle builder) references variant names by text string rather than variant ID, renaming may break that integration. Check before making large-scale changes.
Inventory tracking. Variant names are display labels only - inventory is tracked against variant IDs, which don’t change when you rename. Stock levels are unaffected.
Reordering variants
You can change the order in which variant values appear in the selector (e.g., show XL before L before M):
Step 1. Open the product and scroll to Variants.
Step 2. Click the option group.
Step 3. Drag the variant values into your preferred order using the drag handles.
Step 4. Save.
Changing how the variant selector looks
The shape and style of the variant selector (dropdown, buttons, swatches) is controlled by your theme, not the product data. To change it:
- Check Theme Editor settings for the product page - many themes let you switch between dropdown and button selectors.
- For colour swatches, most themes convert color-named variants automatically. Check your theme documentation.
- For a fully custom variant selector layout, use Fudge.
