---
id: nameof
version: "0.0.1"
license: MIT
license_treatment: permissive
maintenance: abandoned
---

# nameof — Get the name of a variable or attribute, as in C#

License: permissive · Maintenance: abandoned · Downloads: 208.9K/mo

## What it is and what it does

nameof is a utility that extracts the string name of a variable or object attribute at runtime by inspecting the abstract syntax tree (AST). It attempts to replicate C#'s nameof operator, allowing code like `nameof(foo)` to return the string `"foo"`. The package has no runtime dependencies and consists of minimal code that can be copied directly into a project if needed.

However, the author explicitly states this was a toy project and recommends using an alternative instead. The package is abandoned, with its repository archived and no releases since 2020-02-01. It relies on fragile AST manipulation that breaks in the presence of other AST-modifying tools like pytest, and the author cautions that code depending on it should be thoroughly tested. It is not suitable for production use.

Use it for:

- Debugging and logging where you need to print variable names alongside their values
- Generating field names dynamically in data validation or ORM frameworks
- Building introspection tools that require mapping runtime objects back to their source variable names

## Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts above — verify before relying.

Retrieves the name of a variable or attribute as a string at runtime through AST inspection, mimicking C# nameof functionality.

No. The author explicitly recommends against this package in the description. The project is abandoned, last released 2020-02-01, and relies on fragile AST inspection that breaks with common tools. High install friction and lack of maintenance make it unsuitable for any new project.

## Install

pip install nameof
uv add nameof
poetry add nameof

## Installing nameof

Before you install: High install friction. The package is abandoned (repository archived, last release 2020-02-01) and the author explicitly recommends switching to an alternative instead.

License in practice: MIT license permits commercial and private use with minimal restrictions, requiring only license and copyright notice retention.

Quickstart:

pip install nameof

from nameof import nameof
assert nameof(foo) == "foo"
assert nameof(foo.bar) == "bar"

The argument must be a variable or attribute; does not work in the presence of AST-modifying tools like pytest.

Verify before relying:

- Whether the package works reliably with Python versions beyond 3.8
- Specific AST-based limitations beyond pytest and birdseye that may affect usage
- Whether the recommended alternative is a drop-in replacement or requires code changes

## Package facts

- License: MIT (permissive)
- Python support: unspecified
- Install friction: high
- Maintenance: abandoned
- Downloads: 208.9K/month (top 15,000 on PyPI)
- Known vulnerabilities: none known

## Tags

get variable name as string, nameof functionality python, variable name introspection, attribute name reflection, runtime variable naming, ast-introspection, abandoned

[View on SkillFed](https://skillfed.io/packages/nameof) · [View on PyPI](https://pypi.org/project/nameof/)