VolumeName

VolumeName is the human-readable label assigned to a storage volume or mounted filesystem. It serves as a stable, user-friendly identifier that appears in user interfaces, dialogs, and scripts, helping users and programs refer to a specific volume without depending on its device path or mount location. The volume name is distinct from the device name (for example, a disk identifier) and from the mount point where the filesystem is attached to the filesystem hierarchy.

Across operating systems, volume names are exposed and manipulated in various ways. In Windows, the volume name often corresponds to the volume label and can be changed by the user. Windows also maintains a unique volume identifier known as a volume GUID path, which can be used to reference the volume regardless of its drive letter or mount point. Programs can query or modify the name through APIs such as GetVolumePathName, GetVolumeNameForVolumeMountPoint, or via management tools like PowerShell.

In macOS, mounted volumes appear under /Volumes with their names as shown in Finder. The name is set when the disk image or partition is created or can be renamed via Disk Utility or Finder. In Linux, the mounted location is the path (for example, /mnt/data or /media/user/Name), while the volume’s label or UUID is an attribute of the filesystem itself and can be viewed with tools like lsblk -f or blkid; labels can be assigned or changed with utilities such as e2label for ext2/3/4 filesystems.

Volume names aid in navigation, backup configurations, scripting, and automated mounting. They are designed to be user-friendly and relatively stable, even as hardware or mount points change.