The name column stores the title of an item and is always the first column on a board. Every item must have a name — it cannot be empty or cleared.

Via the API, the name column supports read, filter, and update operations.

Column Type	Implementation Type	Supported Operations
`name`	—	Read: Yes Filter: Yes Create: No (auto-created with every board) Update: Yes Clear: No

📘
The name column does not have a dedicated implementation type like other columns. It is not accessible through column_values. Instead, use the name field on items or the items_page_by_column_values query.

Queries

The name column cannot be read through the column_values field. Querying column_values(ids: ["name"]) returns an empty array.

Instead, use one of the following approaches:

Read via the `name` field

The simplest way to read an item's name is through the name field on the items object.

query {
  items(ids: [1234567890, 9876543210]) {
    id
    name
  }
}

const query = `
  query ($itemIds: [ID!]) {
    items(ids: $itemIds) {
      id
      name
    }
  }
`;

const variables = { itemIds: [1234567890, 9876543210] };

const response = await mondayApiClient.request(query, variables);

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "items": [
      {
        "id": "1234567890",
        "name": "Task A"
      },
      {
        "id": "9876543210",
        "name": "Task B"
      }
    ]
  }
}

Read via `items_page_by_column_values`

You can also use items_page_by_column_values to find items whose name matches a specific value.

query {
  items_page_by_column_values(
    board_id: 1234567890
    columns: {
      column_id: "name"
      column_values: "Task A"
    }
  ) {
    items {
      id
      name
    }
  }
}

const query = `
  query ($boardId: ID!, $columnValues: String!) {
    items_page_by_column_values(
      board_id: $boardId
      columns: {
        column_id: "name"
        column_values: $columnValues
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
      }
    }
  }
`;

const variables = { boardId: 1234567890, columnValues: "Task A" };

const response = await mondayApiClient.request(query, variables);

Filter

You can filter items by name values using the items_page object. The name column supports the following operators:

Operator	Compare Value	Description
`any_of`	An array of full name values (e.g., `["Task A"]`)	Returns items whose name exactly matches any of the specified values.
`not_any_of`	An array of full name values (e.g., `["Task A"]`)	Excludes items whose name exactly matches any of the specified values.
`contains_text`	A partial or full name value (e.g., `["Task"]`)	Returns items whose name contains the specified text.
`not_contains_text`	A partial or full name value (e.g., `["Task"]`)	Excludes items whose name contains the specified text.

🚧
The is_empty and is_not_empty operators are not supported for the name column. Every item must have a name, so these operators will return an error.

Examples

Filter by exact name

This example returns all items whose name is exactly "Project Alpha".

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    items_page(
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "name"
            compare_value: ["Project Alpha"]
            operator: any_of
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
      }
    }
  }
}

Filter by partial name

This example returns all items whose name contains "Project".

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    items_page(
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "name"
            compare_value: ["Project"]
            operator: contains_text
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
      }
    }
  }
}

Exclude by name

This example returns all items whose name does not contain "Draft".

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    items_page(
      query_params: {
        rules: [
          {
            column_id: "name"
            compare_value: ["Draft"]
            operator: not_contains_text
          }
        ]
      }
    ) {
      items {
        id
        name
      }
    }
  }
}

Mutations

Update

You can update an item's name using change_simple_column_value or change_multiple_column_values. The name must be between 1 and 255 characters.

`change_simple_column_value`

Pass the new name as a plain string in the value argument.

mutation {
  change_simple_column_value(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_id: "name"
    value: "Updated Task Name"
  ) {
    id
    name
  }
}

const query = `
  mutation ($boardId: ID!, $itemId: ID!, $value: String!) {
    change_simple_column_value(
      item_id: $itemId
      board_id: $boardId
      column_id: "name"
      value: $value
    ) {
      id
      name
    }
  }
`;

const variables = {
  boardId: 1234567890,
  itemId: 9876543210,
  value: "Updated Task Name"
};

const response = await mondayApiClient.request(query, variables);

`change_multiple_column_values`

Pass the name as a JSON string value in column_values.

mutation {
  change_multiple_column_values(
    item_id: 9876543210
    board_id: 1234567890
    column_values: "{\"name\": \"Updated Task Name\"}"
  ) {
    id
    name
  }
}

const query = `
  mutation ($boardId: ID!, $itemId: ID!, $columnValues: JSON!) {
    change_multiple_column_values(
      item_id: $itemId
      board_id: $boardId
      column_values: $columnValues
    ) {
      id
      name
    }
  }
`;

const variables = {
  boardId: 1234567890,
  itemId: 9876543210,
  columnValues: JSON.stringify({ name: "Updated Task Name" })
};

const response = await mondayApiClient.request(query, variables);

Set name on item creation

You set the item's name using the item_name argument when creating an item. You can also include it in column_values.

Using `item_name`

mutation {
  create_item(
    board_id: 1234567890
    item_name: "New Task"
  ) {
    id
    name
  }
}

Using `column_values`

mutation {
  create_item(
    board_id: 1234567890
    item_name: "Placeholder"
    column_values: "{\"name\": \"Actual Task Name\"}"
  ) {
    id
    name
  }
}

📘
When both item_name and a name key in column_values are provided, the column_values name takes precedence.

Clear

The name column cannot be cleared. Every item must have a name.

Passing an empty string to change_simple_column_value returns: "Invalid item name. Name must not be empty"
Passing null or "" via change_multiple_column_values silently ignores the update — the name remains unchanged.

Reading column configuration

The name column has no configurable settings. Querying settings returns an empty JSON object.

🚧
The settings_str field is deprecated as of API version 2025-10. Use the typed settings object instead, which returns structured JSON rather than a JSON-encoded string.

query {
  boards(ids: 1234567890) {
    columns(ids: ["name"]) {
      id
      title
      type
      settings
    }
  }
}

Example response

{
  "data": {
    "boards": [
      {
        "columns": [
          {
            "id": "name",
            "title": "Name",
            "type": "name",
            "settings": {}
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Get column type schema

You can retrieve the JSON schema for the name column's settings programmatically using the get_column_type_schema query. This returns the structure, validation rules, and available properties for the column's configuration.

query {
  get_column_type_schema(
    type: name
  )
}

{
  "data": {
    "get_column_type_schema": {
      "schema": {
        "$schema": "http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#",
        "type": "object",
        "properties": {
          "settings": {
            "type": "object",
            "description": "Column specific settings",
            "properties": {},
            "additionalProperties": false
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}

The name column has no configurable settings, so the schema returns an empty settings object. Learn more about the schema response format.