How to get/set a pandas index column title or name?
Question:
How do I get the index column name in Python’s pandas? Here’s an example dataframe:
Column 1
Index Title
Apples 1
Oranges 2
Puppies 3
Ducks 4
What I’m trying to do is get/set the dataframe’s index title. Here is what I tried:
import pandas as pd
data = {'Column 1' : [1., 2., 3., 4.],
'Index Title': ["Apples", "Oranges", "Puppies", "Ducks"]}
df = pd.DataFrame(data)
df.index = df["Index Title"]
del df["Index Title"]
Anyone know how to do this?
Answers:
You can just get/set the index via its name property
In [7]: df.index.name
Out[7]: 'Index Title'
In [8]: df.index.name = 'foo'
In [9]: df.index.name
Out[9]: 'foo'
In [10]: df
Out[10]:
Column 1
foo
Apples 1
Oranges 2
Puppies 3
Ducks 4
df.index.name should do the trick.
Python has a dir function that let’s you query object attributes. dir(df.index) was helpful here.
If you do not want to create a new row but simply put it in the empty cell then use:
df.columns.name = 'foo'
Otherwise use:
df.index.name = 'foo'
df.columns.values also give us the column names
You can use rename_axis, for removing set to None:
d = {'Index Title': ['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],'Column 1': [1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]}
df = pd.DataFrame(d).set_index('Index Title')
print (df)
Column 1
Index Title
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
print (df.index.name)
Index Title
print (df.columns.name)
None
The new functionality works well in method chains.
df = df.rename_axis('foo')
print (df)
Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
You can also rename column names with parameter axis:
d = {'Index Title': ['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],'Column 1': [1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]}
df = pd.DataFrame(d).set_index('Index Title').rename_axis('Col Name', axis=1)
print (df)
Col Name Column 1
Index Title
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
print (df.index.name)
Index Title
print (df.columns.name)
Col Name
print df.rename_axis('foo').rename_axis("bar", axis="columns")
bar Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
print df.rename_axis('foo').rename_axis("bar", axis=1)
bar Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
From version pandas 0.24.0+ is possible use parameter index and columns:
df = df.rename_axis(index='foo', columns="bar")
print (df)
bar Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
Removing index and columns names means set it to None:
df = df.rename_axis(index=None, columns=None)
print (df)
Column 1
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
If MultiIndex in index only:
mux = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],
list('abcd')],
names=['index name 1','index name 1'])
df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(10, size=(4,6)),
index=mux,
columns=list('ABCDEF')).rename_axis('col name', axis=1)
print (df)
col name A B C D E F
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
print (df.index.name)
None
print (df.columns.name)
col name
print (df.index.names)
['index name 1', 'index name 1']
print (df.columns.names)
['col name']
df1 = df.rename_axis(('foo','bar'))
print (df1)
col name A B C D E F
foo bar
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
df2 = df.rename_axis('baz', axis=1)
print (df2)
baz A B C D E F
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=('foo','bar'), columns='baz')
print (df2)
baz A B C D E F
foo bar
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
Removing index and columns names means set it to None:
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=(None,None), columns=None)
print (df2)
A B C D E F
Apples a 6 9 9 5 4 6
Oranges b 2 6 7 4 3 5
Puppies c 6 3 6 3 5 1
Ducks d 4 9 1 3 0 5
For MultiIndex in index and columns is necessary working with .names instead .name and set by list or tuples:
mux1 = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],
list('abcd')],
names=['index name 1','index name 1'])
mux2 = pd.MultiIndex.from_product([list('ABC'),
list('XY')],
names=['col name 1','col name 2'])
df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(10, size=(4,6)), index=mux1, columns=mux2)
print (df)
col name 1 A B C
col name 2 X Y X Y X Y
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
Plural is necessary for check/set values:
print (df.index.name)
None
print (df.columns.name)
None
print (df.index.names)
['index name 1', 'index name 1']
print (df.columns.names)
['col name 1', 'col name 2']
df1 = df.rename_axis(('foo','bar'))
print (df1)
col name 1 A B C
col name 2 X Y X Y X Y
foo bar
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
df2 = df.rename_axis(('baz','bak'), axis=1)
print (df2)
baz A B C
bak X Y X Y X Y
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=('foo','bar'), columns=('baz','bak'))
print (df2)
baz A B C
bak X Y X Y X Y
foo bar
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
Removing index and columns names means set it to None:
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=(None,None), columns=(None,None))
print (df2)
A B C
X Y X Y X Y
Apples a 2 0 2 5 2 0
Oranges b 1 7 5 5 4 8
Puppies c 2 4 6 3 6 5
Ducks d 9 6 3 9 7 0
And @Jeff solution:
df.index.names = ['foo','bar']
df.columns.names = ['baz','bak']
print (df)
baz A B C
bak X Y X Y X Y
foo bar
Apples a 3 4 7 3 3 3
Oranges b 1 2 5 8 1 0
Puppies c 9 6 3 9 6 3
Ducks d 3 2 1 0 1 0
Use df.index.rename('foo', inplace=True) to set the index name.
Seems this api is available since pandas 0.13.
The solution for multi-indexes is inside jezrael’s cyclopedic answer, but it took me a while to find it so I am posting a new answer:
df.index.names gives the names of a multi-index (as a Frozenlist).
To just get the index column names df.index.names will work for both a single Index or MultiIndex as of the most recent version of pandas.
As someone who found this while trying to find the best way to get a list of index names + column names, I would have found this answer useful:
names = list(filter(None, df.index.names + df.columns.values.tolist()))
This works for no index, single column Index, or MultiIndex. It avoids calling reset_index() which has an unnecessary performance hit for such a simple operation. I’m surprised there isn’t a built in method for this (that I’ve come across). I guess I run into needing this more often because I’m shuttling data from databases where the dataframe index maps to a primary/unique key, but is really just another column to me.
Setting the index name can also be accomplished at creation:
pd.DataFrame(data={'age': [10,20,30], 'height': [100, 170, 175]}, index=pd.Series(['a', 'b', 'c'], name='Tag'))
1. Use pd.Index to name an index (or column) from construction
Pandas has Index (MultiIndex) objects that accepts names. Passing those as index or column on dataframe construction constructs frames with named indices/columns.
data = {'Column 1': [1,2,3,4], 'Index Title': ["Apples","Oranges","Puppies","Ducks"]}
# for RangeIndex
df = pd.DataFrame(data, index=pd.Index(range(4), name='foo'))
# ^^^^^^^^ <---- here
# for Index
df = pd.DataFrame(data, index=pd.Index(data['Index Title'], name='foo'))
# ^^^^^^^^ <---- here
# for columns
df = pd.DataFrame(data, columns=pd.Index(data.keys(), name='foo'))
# ^^^^^^^^ <---- here
# for MultiIndex
df = pd.DataFrame(data, index=pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([['Fruit', 'Fruit', 'Animal', 'Animal'], data['Index Title']], names=['foo', 'bar']))
# ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ <---- here
2. Change MultiIndex level name
If the dataframe has MultiIndex and an index name at a specific level has to be changed, index.set_names may be used. For example, to change the name of the second index level, use the following. Don’t forget inplace=True.
df.index.set_names('foo', level=1, inplace=True)
# equivalently, rename could be used with a dict
df.index.rename({'Index Title 2': 'foo'}, inplace=True)
set_names can also be used for just regular index (set level=None). However, rename_axis is probably easier.
df.index.set_names('foo', level=None, inplace=True)
# equivalent to the following
df.index.name = 'foo'
df = df.rename_axis('foo')
There’s a corresponding columns.set_names for columns.
df.columns.set_names('foo', level=None, inplace=True)
# equivalent to
df = df.rename_axis(columns='foo')
# for MultiIndex columns
df.columns.set_names('foo', level=0, inplace=True)
How do I get the index column name in Python’s pandas? Here’s an example dataframe:
Column 1
Index Title
Apples 1
Oranges 2
Puppies 3
Ducks 4
What I’m trying to do is get/set the dataframe’s index title. Here is what I tried:
import pandas as pd
data = {'Column 1' : [1., 2., 3., 4.],
'Index Title': ["Apples", "Oranges", "Puppies", "Ducks"]}
df = pd.DataFrame(data)
df.index = df["Index Title"]
del df["Index Title"]
Anyone know how to do this?
You can just get/set the index via its name property
In [7]: df.index.name
Out[7]: 'Index Title'
In [8]: df.index.name = 'foo'
In [9]: df.index.name
Out[9]: 'foo'
In [10]: df
Out[10]:
Column 1
foo
Apples 1
Oranges 2
Puppies 3
Ducks 4
df.index.name should do the trick.
Python has a dir function that let’s you query object attributes. dir(df.index) was helpful here.
If you do not want to create a new row but simply put it in the empty cell then use:
df.columns.name = 'foo'
Otherwise use:
df.index.name = 'foo'
df.columns.values also give us the column names
You can use rename_axis, for removing set to None:
d = {'Index Title': ['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],'Column 1': [1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]}
df = pd.DataFrame(d).set_index('Index Title')
print (df)
Column 1
Index Title
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
print (df.index.name)
Index Title
print (df.columns.name)
None
The new functionality works well in method chains.
df = df.rename_axis('foo')
print (df)
Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
You can also rename column names with parameter axis:
d = {'Index Title': ['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],'Column 1': [1.0, 2.0, 3.0, 4.0]}
df = pd.DataFrame(d).set_index('Index Title').rename_axis('Col Name', axis=1)
print (df)
Col Name Column 1
Index Title
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
print (df.index.name)
Index Title
print (df.columns.name)
Col Name
print df.rename_axis('foo').rename_axis("bar", axis="columns")
bar Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
print df.rename_axis('foo').rename_axis("bar", axis=1)
bar Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
From version pandas 0.24.0+ is possible use parameter index and columns:
df = df.rename_axis(index='foo', columns="bar")
print (df)
bar Column 1
foo
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
Removing index and columns names means set it to None:
df = df.rename_axis(index=None, columns=None)
print (df)
Column 1
Apples 1.0
Oranges 2.0
Puppies 3.0
Ducks 4.0
If MultiIndex in index only:
mux = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],
list('abcd')],
names=['index name 1','index name 1'])
df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(10, size=(4,6)),
index=mux,
columns=list('ABCDEF')).rename_axis('col name', axis=1)
print (df)
col name A B C D E F
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
print (df.index.name)
None
print (df.columns.name)
col name
print (df.index.names)
['index name 1', 'index name 1']
print (df.columns.names)
['col name']
df1 = df.rename_axis(('foo','bar'))
print (df1)
col name A B C D E F
foo bar
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
df2 = df.rename_axis('baz', axis=1)
print (df2)
baz A B C D E F
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=('foo','bar'), columns='baz')
print (df2)
baz A B C D E F
foo bar
Apples a 5 4 0 5 2 2
Oranges b 5 8 2 5 9 9
Puppies c 7 6 0 7 8 3
Ducks d 6 5 0 1 6 0
Removing index and columns names means set it to None:
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=(None,None), columns=None)
print (df2)
A B C D E F
Apples a 6 9 9 5 4 6
Oranges b 2 6 7 4 3 5
Puppies c 6 3 6 3 5 1
Ducks d 4 9 1 3 0 5
For MultiIndex in index and columns is necessary working with .names instead .name and set by list or tuples:
mux1 = pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([['Apples', 'Oranges', 'Puppies', 'Ducks'],
list('abcd')],
names=['index name 1','index name 1'])
mux2 = pd.MultiIndex.from_product([list('ABC'),
list('XY')],
names=['col name 1','col name 2'])
df = pd.DataFrame(np.random.randint(10, size=(4,6)), index=mux1, columns=mux2)
print (df)
col name 1 A B C
col name 2 X Y X Y X Y
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
Plural is necessary for check/set values:
print (df.index.name)
None
print (df.columns.name)
None
print (df.index.names)
['index name 1', 'index name 1']
print (df.columns.names)
['col name 1', 'col name 2']
df1 = df.rename_axis(('foo','bar'))
print (df1)
col name 1 A B C
col name 2 X Y X Y X Y
foo bar
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
df2 = df.rename_axis(('baz','bak'), axis=1)
print (df2)
baz A B C
bak X Y X Y X Y
index name 1 index name 1
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=('foo','bar'), columns=('baz','bak'))
print (df2)
baz A B C
bak X Y X Y X Y
foo bar
Apples a 2 9 4 7 0 3
Oranges b 9 0 6 0 9 4
Puppies c 2 4 6 1 4 4
Ducks d 6 6 7 1 2 8
Removing index and columns names means set it to None:
df2 = df.rename_axis(index=(None,None), columns=(None,None))
print (df2)
A B C
X Y X Y X Y
Apples a 2 0 2 5 2 0
Oranges b 1 7 5 5 4 8
Puppies c 2 4 6 3 6 5
Ducks d 9 6 3 9 7 0
And @Jeff solution:
df.index.names = ['foo','bar']
df.columns.names = ['baz','bak']
print (df)
baz A B C
bak X Y X Y X Y
foo bar
Apples a 3 4 7 3 3 3
Oranges b 1 2 5 8 1 0
Puppies c 9 6 3 9 6 3
Ducks d 3 2 1 0 1 0
Use df.index.rename('foo', inplace=True) to set the index name.
Seems this api is available since pandas 0.13.
The solution for multi-indexes is inside jezrael’s cyclopedic answer, but it took me a while to find it so I am posting a new answer:
df.index.names gives the names of a multi-index (as a Frozenlist).
To just get the index column names df.index.names will work for both a single Index or MultiIndex as of the most recent version of pandas.
As someone who found this while trying to find the best way to get a list of index names + column names, I would have found this answer useful:
names = list(filter(None, df.index.names + df.columns.values.tolist()))
This works for no index, single column Index, or MultiIndex. It avoids calling reset_index() which has an unnecessary performance hit for such a simple operation. I’m surprised there isn’t a built in method for this (that I’ve come across). I guess I run into needing this more often because I’m shuttling data from databases where the dataframe index maps to a primary/unique key, but is really just another column to me.
Setting the index name can also be accomplished at creation:
pd.DataFrame(data={'age': [10,20,30], 'height': [100, 170, 175]}, index=pd.Series(['a', 'b', 'c'], name='Tag'))
1. Use pd.Index to name an index (or column) from construction
Pandas has Index (MultiIndex) objects that accepts names. Passing those as index or column on dataframe construction constructs frames with named indices/columns.
data = {'Column 1': [1,2,3,4], 'Index Title': ["Apples","Oranges","Puppies","Ducks"]}
# for RangeIndex
df = pd.DataFrame(data, index=pd.Index(range(4), name='foo'))
# ^^^^^^^^ <---- here
# for Index
df = pd.DataFrame(data, index=pd.Index(data['Index Title'], name='foo'))
# ^^^^^^^^ <---- here
# for columns
df = pd.DataFrame(data, columns=pd.Index(data.keys(), name='foo'))
# ^^^^^^^^ <---- here
# for MultiIndex
df = pd.DataFrame(data, index=pd.MultiIndex.from_arrays([['Fruit', 'Fruit', 'Animal', 'Animal'], data['Index Title']], names=['foo', 'bar']))
# ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ <---- here
2. Change MultiIndex level name
If the dataframe has MultiIndex and an index name at a specific level has to be changed, index.set_names may be used. For example, to change the name of the second index level, use the following. Don’t forget inplace=True.
df.index.set_names('foo', level=1, inplace=True)
# equivalently, rename could be used with a dict
df.index.rename({'Index Title 2': 'foo'}, inplace=True)
set_names can also be used for just regular index (set level=None). However, rename_axis is probably easier.
df.index.set_names('foo', level=None, inplace=True)
# equivalent to the following
df.index.name = 'foo'
df = df.rename_axis('foo')
There’s a corresponding columns.set_names for columns.
df.columns.set_names('foo', level=None, inplace=True)
# equivalent to
df = df.rename_axis(columns='foo')
# for MultiIndex columns
df.columns.set_names('foo', level=0, inplace=True)