[AttributeUsage(AttributeTargets.Class|AttributeTargets.Struct|AttributeTargets.Interface, Inherited = false)]
public sealed class DisplayNameAttribute : Attribute

Remarks

Many framework systems and editor tools discover types dynamically via reflection and then present them to the user - for example, in type-selection dropdowns, filter windows, or documentation generators. By default these systems would show the raw C# class name, which can be cryptic or overly technical. Applying DisplayNameAttribute lets you provide a user-facing label that is completely independent of the underlying identifier.

The display name is stored in the read-only Name property and an optional human-readable Tooltip can be attached via the property initializer syntax. Both are pure metadata: they carry no runtime cost beyond attribute construction during initial reflection.

This attribute can be applied to classes, interfaces, and structs. It is intentionally non-inherited (Inherited = false), so subclasses must declare their own DisplayNameAttribute if they require a distinct display name. This avoids silently propagating a parent's label to a child type with a completely different purpose.

To suppress a type from appearing in filter or selection windows entirely, combine this attribute with HideInFilterWindowAttribute. To assign an organizational category, combine it with GroupAttribute.

Basic usage - override the type name shown in editor UI:

[DisplayName("Player Character")]
public class PlayerCharacterController : MonoBehaviour
{
    /* ... */
}

With an optional tooltip that editor tools may surface on hover:

[DisplayName("AI Enemy", Tooltip = "Base class for all enemy AI behaviors")]
public abstract class EnemyAI : MonoBehaviour
{
    /* ... */
}

Reading the attribute at runtime via reflection:

var attr = typeof(PlayerCharacterController)
    .GetCustomAttribute<DisplayNameAttribute>();
if (attr != null)
Debug.Log(attr.Name); // "Player Character"

Constructors

DisplayNameAttribute(string)

Initializes a new DisplayNameAttribute with the required display name.

Declaration

public DisplayNameAttribute(string name)

Parameters

Type	Name	Description
string	name	The human-readable label that tooling and editor UI should display instead of the raw C# type name. Must be a non-null, non-empty string. Spaces and special characters are allowed; this value is treated as a display string only, never as an identifier.

Exceptions

Type	Condition
ArgumentNullException	Thrown when `name` is `null` or an empty string. A display name that is absent or blank provides no value and most likely indicates a typo, so the constructor fails fast rather than silently accepting an unusable value.

Properties

Name

Gets the human-readable display name assigned to the decorated type.

Declaration

public string Name { get; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string	A non-null, non-empty string provided at construction time. This value is immutable after the attribute is created. Editor tools and reflection-based systems should use this property instead of `Type.Name` whenever they need to present the type to a human.

Gets or sets an optional extended description of the type that editor tools may surface as a tooltip or supplemental help text.

Declaration

public string Tooltip { get; set; }

Property Value

Type	Description
string	A human-readable description string, or `null` (the default) when no tooltip has been provided. Tooling that renders this value should gracefully handle the `null` case and simply omit the tooltip element.

Set this property via the attribute initializer syntax:

[DisplayName("My Type", Tooltip = "Handles core logic for XYZ.")]

There is no runtime enforcement on the content of this string; it is pure display metadata. Keeping tooltips concise (one sentence) is recommended so they render well in space-constrained UI contexts.