Data Modeling: Name Your Tables Simply and Effectively

Good table naming is essential for creating readable, maintainable data models that are understandable by the entire team. Discover 10 naming methods to effectively structure your models.

Why Naming Matters

Consistent naming allows you to:

• Quickly understand each table's role
• Facilitate maintenance of the model over time
• Improve collaboration between teams
• Reduce errors when creating DAX measures

10 Table Naming Methods

1. Type Prefix (Fact/Dim)

The classic star schema method:

Fact_Sales
Fact_Orders
Dim_Customers
Dim_Products
Dim_Time

Advantage: Immediate identification of table type

2. Source Prefix

Identify data origin:

SAP_Transactions
CRM_Customers
Excel_Budget
API_Exchange_Rates

Advantage: Data traceability

3. Business Domain Prefix

Organize by function:

FIN_Balance
FIN_Budget
HR_Employees
SALES_Revenue

Advantage: Logical business grouping

4. Temporal Suffix

Indicate time granularity:

Sales_Daily
Sales_Monthly
Sales_Yearly
Budget_Quarterly

Advantage: Clarity on granularity

5. CamelCase Without Prefix

Minimalist and modern style:

Customers
Products
OrderDetails
MonthlySales

Advantage: Simplicity and readability

6. Snake_Case

Popular style in Data Engineering:

fact_sales
dim_customers
bridge_customer_product
staging_raw_data

Advantage: Compatible with SQL and Python

7. Layer Prefix (Bronze/Silver/Gold)

Databricks Medallion architecture:

Bronze_RawSales
Silver_CleanedSales
Gold_AggregatedSales

Advantage: Indicates transformation level

8. Environment Prefix

For multi-environment models:

DEV_Sales
TEST_Sales
PROD_Sales

Advantage: Avoids confusion between environments

9. Update Frequency Indication

Sales_RT (Real-Time)
Sales_Daily
Sales_Monthly
Reference_Static

Advantage: Clarity on data freshness

10. Custom Hybrid

Combine multiple conventions:

FIN_Fact_Sales_Daily
FIN_Dim_Cost_Centers
HR_Fact_Absences_Monthly

Advantage: Maximum information in the name

General Best Practices

Do

• ✅ Use singular names (Customer, not Customers)
• ✅ Avoid spaces (use _ or CamelCase)
• ✅ Be consistent throughout the model
• ✅ Use understandable business names
• ✅ Document your naming convention

Don't

• ❌ Names that are too long (> 30 characters)
• ❌ Obscure abbreviations
• ❌ Special characters (accents, symbols)
• ❌ Mixing languages
• ❌ Generic names (Table1, Data, etc.)

Documentation Example

Create a reference document for your team:

| Prefix | Meaning | Example | |--------|---------|---------| | Fact_ | Fact table | Fact_Sales | | Dim_ | Dimension table | Dim_Customer | | Bridge_ | Bridge table | Bridge_Customer_Product | | Calc_ | Calculated table | Calc_Monthly_KPIs | | Param_ | Parameter table | Param_Date_Filters |

Conclusion

Table naming is an investment that pays off in the long run. Choose a convention suited to your context, document it, and apply it systematically.

A well-named model is a model that's easy to maintain and evolve.

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