Displaytitle

Displaytitle is a feature in MediaWiki that lets editors control what title is shown to readers, while keeping the page’s actual name unchanged. It is commonly implemented using the DISPLAYTITLE magic word. By supplying a display title, the header presented to users can differ from the canonical page title, which can help with localization, branding, or disambiguation without renaming the page.

Usage and syntax

To set a display title, insert DISPLAYTITLE:Your Desired Title on its own line near the top of the page content. The text after the colon becomes the title shown in the page header and in many listings, while the true page title and URL remain unchanged. The magic word is interpreted by the wiki’s parser and is not part of the page’s visible content in the same way as ordinary text.

Scope and behavior

The display title affects how the page title appears to viewers but does not alter the actual page name, the URL, or the page’s history. It can be useful for presenting localized spellings, preferred stylings, or alternate names without moving or duplicating content. In some contexts or on certain skins and tools, the override may not propagate to every interface element, but the standard header and most listings will reflect the specified title.

Limitations

The display title is a presentation-only override; it does not create a new page identity or affect renaming processes. Editors should consider consistency with other pages and navigation, since users may encounter a mismatch between the displayed title and the URL or page name.

See also

Magic words in MediaWiki, page titles, and disambiguation practices.