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Encyclopedia Ethereum · Entry 242

ENS primary names: showing a name for your wallet address

AI-assisted research · separate automated verificationCorrections

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Ethereum
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2 cited records
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In this article

At a glance

Key facts

Key facts for ENS primary names: showing a name for your wallet address
FactDetailSource
ForwardName-to-address lookup supplies the payment destination.[1]
ReverseAddress-to-name lookup supplies a candidate display name.[1]
VerificationThe candidate must resolve back to the original address.[1]
01

A display name needs both checks

A reverse record lets an account nominate a name. The additional forward lookup shows that the name’s records also point to that account. Without this check, an address could claim a misleading display label.

The relevant chain matters. ENS documentation now supports chain-specific primary names as well as a default reverse record, so an app must use a coherent chain-specific lookup path.

02

A Base display needs the Base address record

Suppose a name has only an Ethereum mainnet address record. Setting a reverse record for it on Base does not automatically establish the matching Base forward record. The application’s verification can fail even though the mainnet lookup works.

Set the appropriate forward record and reverse record through supported tooling, then check both directions for the intended chain. Do not assume mainnet display success proves every chain is configured.

03

A primary name is presentation, not account custody

Setting a primary name does not move assets or change account keys. Applications that support the records can show the verified label; others can continue to display the raw address.

Records, cache behavior and name ownership can change. An app should verify the current relationship rather than permanently trusting an earlier display name.

Direct answers

Questions people ask

Why does an app still show my address after setting a reverse name?

The forward lookup may not match, the chain-specific configuration may be incomplete, or the app may not support the relevant records yet. Check both directions.

Does a verified primary name prove a legal identity?

No. The verification concerns the relationship between an ENS name and an account address, not a government identity or personal reputation.

Inspect the evidence

The answer and key facts have stable claim links. These records retain the scope and qualification when reused.

An ENS primary name links an address back to a name and verifies that the name resolves forward to the same address in the relevant chain context. A reverse record alone is insufficient. If the two directions disagree, an application should display the address instead of accepting the claimed name.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Forward: Name-to-address lookup supplies the payment destination.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Reverse: Address-to-name lookup supplies a candidate display name.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Verification: The candidate must resolve back to the original address.

Scope: Ethereum · data through 2026-10-02. Verification: verified · 2026-10-02T19:27:58.939Z.

Link to this claim
Revision history
  1. — First publication after primary-source research and separate automated verification.

Source register

Sources and references

Retrieval dates and locators are recorded individually.
  1. ENS primary namesENS Labs

    Reverse-name display, chain-specific primary names and forward-address verification.

    Locator: Primary names; reverse resolution; verification · Version / scope: Documentation snapshot retrieved 2 October 2026; response hash recorded separately · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.312ZOpen source
  2. Expired ENS names and wallet accessENS Labs

    Name expiry affects name use rather than cryptographic ownership of the associated account.

    Locator: Expiry; grace period; wallet access · Version / scope: Documentation snapshot retrieved 2 October 2026; response hash recorded separately · Retrieved: 2026-10-02T18:55:25.397ZOpen source
How this article was made

Research and drafting use AI assistance. A separate automated review checks claims against primary sources; no external expert or named human review is implied. Publication, substantive editing, source retrieval and verification are recorded separately. This version was independently checked by an automated reviewer on 2 October 2026.

Editorial method and corrections

Degrees of Satoshi editorial project. “ENS primary names: showing a name for your wallet address.” Published 2026-10-02; updated 2026-10-02. https://degreesofsatoshi.com/encyclopedia/ens-primary-name/