Sneaky NameTag
by Chaotic Loom
With Sneaky NameTag, a player's name stays hidden until another player looks directly at them, even when they are close and not crouching.
What it does
The mod hides player nametags by default. A nametag appears only when the viewer targets the player directly, so a person who prefers not to reveal their name can stay near others without it being shown above their head. The check uses the player's position relative to the viewer's crosshair, not distance alone, which keeps names visible during roleplay for anyone who looks straight at a character.
Sneaky NameTag runs on the client alone, so the server and other players do not need it. It is published for Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt across 20 release versions, 1.18 – 1.21.4, and is released under the MIT License as open source. Latest files are 1.0 for 1.21.4 on Fabric and Quilt, and 1.0 for 1.20.1 on Forge and NeoForge.
Key features
Hidden nametags by default
Player names are not drawn above heads until a viewer looks directly at the player.
Crouch-independent reveal
The name is not tied to crouching, so a player who is not sneaking can still keep their name hidden.
Direct-target display
Looking straight at a player shows their nametag, so names stay readable on purpose rather than through proximity.
Gallery
Compatibility
Latest build for each game version and loader.
1.21.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.20.x7 of 7 versions with builds
1.19.x5 of 5 versions with builds
1.18.x3 of 3 versions with builds
Only full game releases are shown. This mod publishes no snapshot builds.
Use cases
Roleplay servers
Characters can stand close together while their names stay unseen until someone looks directly at them.
Anonymous interactions
A player who wants to keep their identity private can move through crowded areas without a name floating above them.
Who it’s for: Players on roleplay or social servers who want names shown only on direct look, and anyone who finds constant nametags distracting. Because it is client-side only, a player can use it on any server without asking the owner to install it.
How it compares
Craftable Nametag is server required, with client optional, and is published under All rights reserved for 1.20.5 – 1.21.11, so it changes the server side rather than the client. Show Player Nametags is client-side only and open source under the MIT License, but it is Fabric-only and covers 1.21.2 – 1.21.11, so it does not hide names the way this mod does. Nametag craft is a client and server mod under All rights reserved for 1.12.2 – 1.21.8, which means every player on a server running it needs it too.
| Mod | Loaders | Game versions | Environment | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sneaky NameTag | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.18 – 1.21.4 | Client-side only | 2025-03-21 |
| Craftable Nametag | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.20.5 – 1.21.11 | Server required, client optional | 2025-12-12 |
| Show Player Nametags | Fabric | 1.21.2 – 1.21.11 | Client-side only | 2025-08-19 |
| Nametag craft | Fabric, Forge, NeoForge and Quilt | 1.12.2 – 1.21.8 | Client and server | 2026-06-22 |
Questions
Does Sneaky NameTag need to be on the server?
Which loader should a player choose?
Is the source code available?
In the catalog
Sneaky NameTag is one of 5,392 Social mods on ModsFinder, and one of 4,084 Social mods for Fabric. 17,979 mods support Minecraft 1.21.4.
More from Chaotic Loom
Similar mods
Official listing
- Modrinth page
- modrinth.com/mod/sneaky-nametag
- Owner
- Chaotic Loom
- Published
- 2025-03-20
- Updated on Modrinth
- 2025-03-21
- Facts verified
- 2026-10-15