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For a new relational schema, lowercase snake_case is a practical default: use descriptive names such as customer_account, created_at and payment_due_date, and apply one naming pattern consistently. This is a convention, not a SQL requirement. Check the target database’s identifier rules before relying on particular capitalization, characters or name lengths.

Choose a consistent convention before naming objects

Database products handle identifiers differently, so there is no single naming rule that applies everywhere. A useful convention should make schema objects easy to read, keep related names predictable and avoid relying on database-specific quoting behavior.

For a new schema, lowercase snake_case meets those goals well: separate words with underscores, use meaningful terms and keep the same style for tables and columns. For example, a table might be named customer_account, with columns such as email_address, order_status and created_at. This is a portability-oriented recommendation inferred from vendor identifier rules, not a requirement imposed by the database vendors.

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How should you name tables and columns?

Use clear, descriptive words

Choose a name that tells readers what the object represents. Oracle’s documentation contrasts payment_due_date with the less obvious abbreviation pmdd; the longer name is easier to understand without a separate decoding key. Use abbreviations only when they are familiar to the team and unlikely to create ambiguity.

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Pick singular or plural table names and stick with it

Either singular or plural table nouns can work. A team might use customer and invoice, or customers and invoices. Collective terms such as staff are another option. The important point is to choose a pattern and apply it consistently; no vendor rule makes one choice universally correct.

Make column names specific and predictable

Use column names that describe the value, such as email_address, created_at or order_status. A style guide may recommend singular column names and consistent suffixes such as _id for identifiers or _status for statuses. These are local conventions rather than SQL requirements.

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Where practical, use the same name for the same concept across related tables. For instance, customer_id can identify a customer both in a customer table and in another table that refers to that customer. Consistent names make relationships easier to recognize.

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Avoid needless prefixes and punctuation

Prefixes such as tbl_ usually add little when the database already distinguishes tables from other object types. Use one only if a specific platform or team practice makes it useful. Spaces and unusual punctuation can also make names less convenient to reference and may require delimiters, so prefer ordinary letters, digits and underscores when the database permits them.

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Should you use snake_case, camelCase or quoted names?

Lowercase snake_case is a sensible default when portability and consistent unquoted references matter. PostgreSQL and Oracle fold unquoted names to lowercase and uppercase, respectively; quoted names preserve their case and are case-sensitive. SQL Server identifier comparison depends on collation. As a result, mixed-case names can behave differently across systems or require consistent quoting.

Delimited identifiers are available in these products, but their delimiters and behavior differ. PostgreSQL and Oracle use double quotes for quoted identifiers. SQL Server supports brackets or double quotation marks, with double-quote behavior affected by QUOTED_IDENTIFIER. Avoid making routine access depend on quoting ordinary names; reserve delimited identifiers for cases where they are genuinely needed.

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Also avoid reserved words such as a database’s keyword for a built-in feature or operation. The exact list varies by product, and SQL Server notes that compatibility level can affect the reserved-word rules. Check the documentation for the database and configuration you will deploy rather than assuming a name is safe across dialects.

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How identifier rules differ by database

The following rules come from PostgreSQL 15 documentation, Oracle Database 26 documentation, and Microsoft Learn’s SQL Server identifier documentation. They show why a convention should be checked against the actual target engine and configuration.

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Database Unquoted and quoted case behavior Length and character rules Configuration or other cautions
PostgreSQL 15 Unquoted identifiers are case-insensitive and fold to lowercase. Quoted identifiers preserve case and become case-sensitive. The default maximum identifier length is 63 bytes. Names begin with a letter or underscore and may then contain letters, underscores, digits or dollar signs. Dollar signs are outside the SQL standard and may reduce portability. The 63-byte figure is PostgreSQL’s default documented limit.
Oracle Database 26 Nonquoted identifiers are case-insensitive and interpreted as uppercase. Quoted identifiers are case-sensitive. With COMPATIBLE set to 12.2 or higher, most names may be up to 128 bytes; below 12.2, the general limit is 30 bytes. Nonquoted names begin with an alphabetic character and may contain alphanumeric characters, underscores, dollar signs or number signs. Oracle discourages dollar signs and number signs. Nonquoted identifiers cannot be reserved words; ROWID has special restrictions.
SQL Server Identifier case comparison depends on collation. Brackets or double quotation marks can delimit names; double-quote behavior depends on QUOTED_IDENTIFIER. Regular T-SQL identifiers use letters, digits and specified characters. A single general maximum length is not stated in the cited identifier guidance. Identifiers must not be reserved words. Check compatibility level when reviewing reserved-word rules. Column names need only be unique within each table; some schema-scoped objects have schema-level uniqueness requirements.

Check the target database before finalizing names

Before a schema is deployed, verify the rules that could make a chosen name invalid or inconvenient:

  • Length: Check the engine’s maximum identifier length and whether it is measured in bytes. Oracle’s general limit depends on COMPATIBLE.
  • Case behavior: Confirm how unquoted names are folded or compared, including SQL Server’s collation-dependent behavior.
  • Characters: Check which characters are allowed and which characters can begin an identifier.
  • Reserved words: Consult the target product’s list and check any relevant compatibility settings.
  • Quoting: If a name requires delimiters, confirm the correct delimiter and settings for that database.

These checks are particularly important when a schema may move between products. The rules above cover PostgreSQL 15, Oracle Database 26 and SQL Server; they do not establish the exact rules for every database dialect or edition.

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