Creating a Nickname for Your Canvas Course

Nicknames Overview

Canvas allows you to create nicknames for your courses. These nicknames are names that only you can see within your Canvas account. Nicknames do not overwrite the official course name brought in from CCS’ Student Information System (SIS), Colleague. In addition, your students will not see the nicknames you use for your course(s). Students can also give nicknames to the courses they are enrolled in. Instructors and other students will not be able to see the nickname a student has given a course in his/her account.

  • A course nickname does not affect the course code, which always displays on the course card for course reference.
  • A course nickname does not affect the course name at the account or course level; it only changes the name of the course for the individual user who created the nickname.
  • Course nicknames appear in the Dashboard, Course Navigation Menu, course breadcrumbs, and notification emails. Nicknames do not display in the global Grades page and Dashboard sidebar elements such as the To Do list.
  • Course nicknames are limited to 59 characters.

Click on each accordion in succession to learn more about nicknames.

Course Card

This is a Course Card. Course Cards are found on your Canvas Dashboard. In this example, the instructor would like to shorten the course name FALL 2025 GAME IDEATION (DMA-107-B) to Game Ideation (DMA-107-B).

A screenshot of a teal-colored Canvas course card on the dashboard. A purple rectangular box outlines the course nickname, which reads "FALL 2025 GAME IDEATION (D..." truncated with an ellipsis. Below the nickname are the course code "DMA-107-B.25/FA" and the term "FALL 2025". A three-dot options menu icon is located in the top right corner of the card's header.
Custom Nickname
  1. Click on the Options (three vertical dots) icon at the top right corner of a Course Card.
  2. In the Nickname textbox, enter in a custom nickname for the course. In this example, the instructor gives the course a nickname of Game Ideation (DMA-107-B).
  3. Click on the Apply button to save the changes.

In this example, if the instructor wants to remove the nickname later on, she can return to this Course Card to remove the nickname. The original course name will appear.

A screenshot of a Canvas course card on the dashboard with its options menu expanded. A yellow callout labeled "1" points to the three-dot menu icon located in the card's teal header. The menu is open to the "Color" tab, which shows a grid of color swatches and a hexadecimal color code field. A yellow callout labeled "2" indicates the "Nickname" text input field, containing the editable text "Game Ideation (DM...". At the bottom of the menu pop-up, a yellow callout labeled "3" highlights the "Apply" button used to save changes.
Courses Fly-Out

After the nickname as been created, the instructor will see the name change in several areas of Canvas. Click through the next few accordions to see examples.

The nickname is displayed within the Courses global navigation fly-out menu. It is also displayed on the Course Card.

A screenshot displaying the connection between a course card on the dashboard and the global navigation "Courses" menu. On the right, a course card with a teal header displays the nickname "Game Ideation (DMA-107-B)," which is outlined in a purple box. A large purple arrow points from this card to the "Courses" fly-out menu on the left, specifically to the corresponding entry in the "Published Courses" list, which also reads "Game Ideation (DMA-107-B)" and is similarly outlined. This visual indicates that the nickname appears in both locations.
All Courses

The instructor checks her Courses >> All Courses screen. The original course name is listed under the Course column, and her new nickname is listed under the Nickname column.

A section of the "All Courses" table view in Canvas showing three rows of courses, each marked with a filled orange star icon in the far-left column indicating they are favorited. The first two rows display the courses "Faculty Orientation and Training" and "Faculty Resource Hub" for a user with the "Student" role. The third row shows the course "FALL 2025 GAME IDEATION (DMA-107-B)" for a user with the "Teacher" role. In the column immediately to the right of this course name, a purple rectangular outline highlights the text "Game Ideation (DMA-107-B)," which represents the course's assigned nickname.
Import Content

If the instructor wanted to import (copy) course content from one course to another, the nickname of the course would be listed in the Select a course drop-down menu.

A screenshot of the "Import Content" page in Canvas where "Copy a Canvas Course" is selected as the content type. The "Select a course" dropdown menu is expanded, displaying a list of available courses organized by term. A large dark arrow points specifically to the entry "Game Ideation (DMA-107-B)" listed under the "FALL 2025" header, demonstrating that the user-assigned nickname appears within this selection list.
Breadcrumb Trail

The custom nickname will display at the top left-hand corner of the Canvas course in the breadcrumb trail.

A close-up screenshot of the top navigation bar within a Canvas course. To the right of the "CCS" institutional logo and the menu icon, the breadcrumb trail displays the current location. A purple rectangular outline highlights the text "Game Ideation (DMA-107-B)," illustrating that the user-assigned nickname is displayed in the breadcrumb navigation path instead of the original course name. The trail continues with "> Modules" to indicate the specific page currently being viewed.

Additional Resources

View my courses in the Card View Dashboard

How do I view my courses in the Card View Dashboard?

00:07: How do I do my favorite courses in the card view dashboard as a student, 00:12: By default, active course cards are automatically added by canvas and 00:16: display up to 20 courses. Dashboard courses 00:20: are ordered alphabetically, by course name and your role in the course, nicknames, 00:24: and course codes do not apply to course, ordering courses with instructor 00:28: roles are listed first, followed by Thai rolls and student rolls. 00:33: Course, card, show an overview, of course information, including the course. 00:36: Name course, code and term. 00:40: Each card can include up to for tabs, which represent the four main Candace 00:44: features for student course activity assignments. 00:47: Announcements discussions and files. 00:50: These tabs mimic visibility and order in course navigation. 00:54: So, for instance, if an instructor hides, the announcements link the 00:58: announcements tab will not display on the course card. 01:02: An unread icon on the discussions or announcements tab indicates. 01:05: That there is a new discussion or announcement in the course. 01:08: The number in the icon indicates the number of new items. 01:13: If one of your courses include the long are confusing name, you can create a nickname 01:17: for your course, most courses are created using student Information 01:21: Systems. Sis that generate course names, based on terms, 01:25: departments and section numbers, and courses with similar names, 01:29: may be hard to distinguish. 01:32: Course nicknames appear in the dashboard course, navigation, menu. 01:35: Course, breadcrumbs and notification emails. 01:40: Of course, nickname does not affect the course name at the account. 01:43: Or course level it only changes the name of the course where the individual user, 01:47: who created the nickname 01:50: If you need to know the original name of the course, you can have her over the nickname. 01:53: And the original name will appear. Additionally, the course code 01:58: is not affected and always displays on the course card, for course reference 02:03: To add a nickname, click the options icon, then type the name 02:07: and then nickname field, click the apply button. 02:11: To remove a nickname open the card options and remove the nickname. 02:14: The nickname field will display. 02:17: The original name of the course, 02:20: Course cards can help you organize your courses by customizing the color. 02:23: Which is synced with the color shown for the course in the calendar to change 02:27: the color, click the cards options icon, then select a new color, 02:31: the check mark indicates, the selected color and a hex 02:35: color code displays in the text field. 02:38: If you want to use a color not shown in the window, you can enter 02:42: the colors hex code directly in the text filled. 02:44: The hex field will display a warning icon. 02:47: If the hex code is not valid, additionally, any variation 02:51: of white is not accepted as a course color. 02:55: Click on move. 02:58: Click on color. 03:01: Click on move. 03:04: Click on color. 03:07: Click on color. 03:10: Click on move. 03:13: Click on color. 03:16: Click on move. 03:19: Click on color. 03:22: Select dashboard View. 03:25: Celexa course image. 03:28: This guy detailed, the specific actions required to view and customize favorite 03:32: courses in the card view dashboard. On, in structure for employee training,