rename first column in r code example

Example 1: r: rename a column

colnames(df)[which(names(df) == "columnName")] <- "newColumnName"

Example 2: rename columns based on a variable in r

# df = dataframe
# old.var.name = The name you don't like anymore
# new.var.name = The name you want to get

names(df)[names(df) == 'old.var.name'] <- 'new.var.name'