.rename() and .columns() in pandas code example

Example 1: python how to rename columns in pandas dataframe

# Basic syntax:
# Assign column names to a Pandas dataframe:
pandas_dataframe.columns = ['list', 'of', 'column', 'names']
# Note, the list of column names must equal the number of columns in the
# 	dataframe and order matters

# Rename specific column names of a Pandas dataframe:
pandas_dataframe.rename(columns={'column_name_to_change':'new_name'})
# Note, with this approach, you can specify just the names you want to
# 	change and the order doesn't matter

# For rows, use "index". E.g.:
pandas_dataframe.index = ['list', 'of', 'row', 'names']
pandas_dataframe.rename(index={'row_name_to_change':'new_name'})

Example 2: pandas dataframe rename column

df = df.rename(columns={'oldName1': 'newName1', 'oldName2': 'newName2'})
# Or rename the existing DataFrame (rather than creating a copy) 
df.rename(columns={'oldName1': 'newName1', 'oldName2': 'newName2'}, inplace=True)