---
title: Identifiers
slug: Mi30mH1Nk8C7KlxFZC-sH
description: Learn about Ocient identifier rules for naming tables, columns, and other SQL elements, ensuring consistency and clarity in database design.
docTags: 
createdAt: Tue May 07 2024 17:19:07 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
updatedAt: Wed Apr 22 2026 20:40:31 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)
---

In the Ocient® System, identifiers are lexical tokens that name specific entities in the database. For example, a table name is an identifier.

In most cases, you do not have to quote an identifier. However, the identifier must meet these two conditions:

- Start with a letter followed by zero or more letters, digits, or underscores.
- Must not be a reserved word. For the full list of reserved words, see [Reserved Words](<./././SQL Reference/Reserved Words.md>).

If the identifier does not meet either of these conditions, then enclose the identifier in double quotes `""` to create a delimited identifier. SQL is case-insensitive, and the database normalizes identifiers to lowercase. For example, you must add double quotes to the `1start_with_digit`, `hy-phen`, and `mixedCase` identifiers so that the database can parse them correctly: `"1start_with_digit"`, `"hy-phen"`, and `"mixedCase"`.

The system uses identifiers to identify these objects:

- Database name
- Schema name
- Function name
- Table name
- Table alias name
- Column name
- Column alias name
- Index name
- View name
- Task name
- Node names
- Machine learning model name
- Connectivity pool name
- Connectivity pool participant name
- Storage space name
- Cluster name
- Service class name
- Single sign-on (SSO) protocol
- Tag name
- JSON key
- Username
- Group name
- Common table expression
- Subexpression name
- Data pipeline name
- Data pipeline type

## Related Links

[SQL Syntax Conventions](<./SQL Syntax Conventions.md>)

[SQL Reference](<./././SQL Reference.md>)

[Machine Learning Model Functions](<./././SQL Reference/Machine Learning Model Functions.md>)

[Connectivity Pools](<./././SQL Reference/Data Definition Language _DDL_ Statement Reference/Cluster and Node Management.md>)

[Users, Groups, and Service Classes](<./././SQL Reference/Data Definition Language _DDL_ Statement Reference/Users_ Groups_ and Service Classes.md>)
