Renaming patterns that I create

If you're dedicated, you can do this with the XML editor.
With nothing selected on the page, click on the XML editor icon in the toolbar.
You'll see a line in there the begins with svg:defs
Click on the triangle to the left of that line to expand the lines below it.
One of the lines below will contain the definition for pattern15274. Click on it. (it'll begin with svg:pattern id)
To the right, click on the ID attribute.
Edit the offending title (pattern15274) and press the Set button.
This saves the new name to the document you're working on.
c

 Thanks for the info. I tried what you suggested & it worked to get the pattern name to change, only now when I use the renamed pattern it fills in solid black. Any idea what could be causing this? the only thing I changed was the ID in the attributes.

Hi. As a blind guess, I'll venture that part of your pattern is black and that possibly the scale of the pattern is way off so that only a small fraction of it is showing in your object. What happens if you locate the pattern controls and zoom out on the pattern?
c

If I zoom out on the pattern, the pattern gets smaller, but when I create a new object & select the renamed pattern from the list the object gets filled in with solid black.

Try starting by creating a smaller object to initiate your pattern. The default size of the objects in the pattern is the same size as the original object you used to make the pattern. Renaming has no effect on the scale of the objects in the pattern, aty least in my experience with Inkscape.
c

The original object I used to create the pattern is a 1" X 1" square & the largest element in the drawing is apx. 1/8" X 1/8" (at100%). I will try starting over with a smaller square, but I'm concerned that most of the details won't be easily discernable if I fill a new object (& ultimately print out the drawing) with the smaller version. Thanks for the help! I'll keep at it until I can figure out what I'm doing wrong.
Cynthia

Yes, a 1" square pattern element filling a 1/8" square drawing element will give you a default pattern that's way too large. As you discovered, you can resize the pattern but the default size will always be relatively gigantic. Definitely start with a smaller square and just zoom in to work on it. Luckily, these all being vector objects, things will always print at the full resolution of your printer. The challenge will be more about what the viewer can resolve visually.
Good luck!
c

My apologies for being unclear earlier. The original object I used to create the pattern is a 1" X 1" square & the largest element in the original object that I used to create the pattern is apx. 1/8" X 1/8" (at100%). The new object (not the object that the pattern was created from) measures 2.5" X 4".

Hmmm, since we've wandered a bit, perhaps you can close the renaming thread and open a new one around pattern scaling to explore that phenomenon.
c

If your question was answered, please consider closing it. Otherwise please let us know what still requires an answer.