SmartNameTags
by Mental
SmartNameTags hides a player's nametag when solid blocks sit between that player and the viewer, so a hidden player stays unlabeled until line of sight returns.
What it does
Nametags are concealed automatically. When a player stands behind a solid obstacle such as a wall, a cave ceiling or dense foliage, the nametag is no longer drawn for others, which keeps the position of a stalking or lurking player from being revealed by the label. The concealment needs no command or setting to start working.
The mod runs on Fabric and needs Fabric API. It is marked client and server, so the server and every player need it. Files cover 1.20 and 1.20.1, with the 1.0 build for 1.20.1 as the latest release, and the code is not open source: the mod is released under All rights reserved. Public links to the source code and issue tracker exist.
SmartNameTags is meant to sit alongside other mods without changing them, so it is intended to work with other additions on a Fabric 1.20.1 installation. Snapshot builds are not published for it.
Key features
Automatic nametag concealment
A nametag disappears while the player it belongs to is positioned behind a solid block, with no manual toggle.
Cover against walls and terrain
Walls, underground rock and dense foliage all count as cover, so a player can wait out of sight and remain unlabeled.
Nametags return on sight
Once the line of sight to the player is open again, the nametag is drawn as usual.
Built for stealth play
The mod supports tactical roleplay and surprise encounters, where hiding a position matters more than the visible label.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Requirements
Dependencies declared by the latest file for each loader.
Required 1
Use cases
Who it’s for: Players and server owners who run stealth, hide-and-seek or tactical roleplay on Fabric 1.20 or 1.20.1. Because the mod must run on both sides, it suits servers that can ask every player to install it.
How it compares
Show Player Nametags is a client-side only Fabric mod released under the MIT License, covering 1.21.2 – 1.21.11, so it targets much later versions than SmartNameTags. WhoIsThis is client-side only and All rights reserved, published for 1.21.11, and is not open source. Invisibility+ is a client and server mod under the GNU Lesser General Public License v3.0 only, built for Fabric and Quilt across 1.18.2 – 26.3, and it is open source.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SmartNameTags | Fabric | 1.20 – 1.20.1 | Client and server | 2023-08-08 |
| Show Player Nametags | Fabric | 1.21.2 – 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2025-08-19 |
| WhoIsThis | Fabric | 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2026-05-27 |
| Invisibility+ | Fabric and Quilt | 1.18.2 – 26.3 | Client and server | 2026-10-01 |
Questions
Does SmartNameTags need Fabric API?
Does the server need SmartNameTags too?
Which game versions does SmartNameTags support?
Can the mod be used on Forge or NeoForge?
In the catalog
SmartNameTags is one of 5,392 Social mods on ModsFinder, and one of 4,084 Social mods for Fabric. 34,764 mods support Minecraft 1.20.1.
More from Mental
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What the author says
Dependencies:: SmartNameTags is developed ONLY for Fabric so you must have installed Fabric API Unleash a new level of tactical or RP gameplay with the SmartNameTags mod. Immerse yourself in the art of subterfuge and surprise as you seamlessly blend into the shadows, your nametag vanishing from view when you find…
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/smartnametags
- Owner
- Mental
- Published
- 2023-08-08
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2023-08-08
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15