Use the XPath name() function. With no argument, it returns the qualified name (QName) of the current context node; with an expression such as name(//body), it returns the name of the first node selected. If you need the tag’s local name without a namespace prefix, use local-name(). For namespace-independent matching, combine local-name() with namespace-uri().
The direct answer: name()
The shortest XPath expression is:
name()That asks for the QName of the current context node. You can also pass a node selection:
name(//body)The result is the name of the first body element in document order. MDN defines name() as returning a string for the first node in the supplied node-set; when no node-set is supplied, the context node is used. See the MDN name() reference for the function’s XPath 1.0 behavior.
Common examples
name()— the current node’s qualified name.name(//body)— the qualified name of the first element selected by//body.name(/*)— the qualified name of the document element.
A QName can include a namespace prefix. Therefore, the returned string is not always just the visible tag text you expect from a simple HTML document.
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When to use local-name() instead
If you want only the local part of an element name, use:
local-name()For example:
local-name(/*)This returns the local name of the document element without its namespace prefix. Like name(), local-name() uses the context node when no argument is supplied, or the first node from an expression when you pass one.
Choose the function based on the value your code needs:
| Need | Expression | Returned value |
|---|---|---|
| Qualified name, including a prefix when one is present | name() |
The context node’s QName |
| Qualified name of a selected node | name(//body) |
The QName of the first selected node |
| Local name only | local-name() |
The local component, without a prefix |
| Local name of the document element | local-name(/*) |
The document element’s local name |
Namespaces change what “the name” means
In a namespaced document, a prefix is only an alias for a namespace binding. Two elements can display the same prefix or local name while belonging to different namespaces, and the same namespace can use different prefixes in different documents. XPath 3.1 describes an expanded QName as a prefix, a local name and a namespace URI; the W3C XPath 3.1 Recommendation defines that model.
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//*[local-name() = 'p' and namespace-uri() = 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml']This selects elements whose local name is p and whose namespace URI is the XHTML URI shown in the expression. Replace that URI with the namespace actually used by your document and XPath engine.
Why a plain element test can miss namespaced HTML
In browser XPath, an unprefixed element name test does not automatically match elements in a default namespace. An expression such as //p can therefore fail when the document uses a default namespace. A namespace resolver, where the host API provides one, or an explicit local-name() plus namespace-uri() test avoids relying on a particular prefix.
Using the functions in predicates
The functions can be used inside a predicate when you need to filter nodes by the name returned at that point:
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//*[name() = 'div']That expression selects elements whose returned QName is exactly div. It is appropriate for a document where the target elements have that QName. If prefixes may vary, compare the local name and namespace instead:
//*[local-name() = 'p' and namespace-uri() = 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml']The distinction matters because comparing only a local name can combine elements from unrelated vocabularies, while comparing only a prefix can break when the document binds that namespace under another prefix.
Getting an element name in browser JavaScript
Browsers expose XPath through document.evaluate(). The call returns an XPathResult; request a string result when evaluating name() or local-name():
const result = document.evaluate(
'name(/*)',
document,
null,
XPathResult.STRING_TYPE,
null
);
console.log(result.stringValue);To obtain the local name instead, change the expression:
const result = document.evaluate(
'local-name(/*)',
document,
null,
XPathResult.STRING_TYPE,
null
);
console.log(result.stringValue);For a selected element, pass a node-returning expression to the function:
const result = document.evaluate(
'name(//body)',
document,
null,
XPathResult.STRING_TYPE,
null
);
console.log(result.stringValue);The namespace resolver argument is null in these simple examples. When your XPath contains prefixes for a namespaced XML vocabulary, provide a resolver appropriate to that document, or use explicit namespace tests when that is safer for the host API.
Context nodes, selected nodes and the first-node rule
No argument: inspect the current context
name() and local-name() operate on the current context when called without an argument. The context is supplied by the XPath host—such as the node against which an expression is evaluated—so the same expression can return different names when evaluated from different nodes.
Argument supplied: inspect a selection
With an argument, the function receives a node-set expression:
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Element name versus visible text
These functions report node names, not the text inside an element. For example, an element containing “Sign in” still has a name such as button; extracting “Sign in” is a different XPath operation. Keeping the two tasks separate prevents a selector that finds text from being mistaken for one that identifies the element type.
Practical recipes
Read the root element’s qualified name
name(/*)Use this when you need the document element’s QName.
Read the root element’s local name
local-name(/*)Use this when a namespace prefix should not appear in the result.
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Match an unprefixed HTML element by QName
//*[name() = 'div']This is a literal QName comparison. It is most predictable when the document’s elements are unprefixed in the XPath data model.
Match by namespace regardless of prefix
//*[local-name() = 'p' and namespace-uri() = 'http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml']This checks both parts of the identity and does not require your expression to guess which prefix the document used.
Inspect an explicitly selected node in JavaScript
const result = document.evaluate(
'name(//body)',
document,
null,
XPathResult.STRING_TYPE,
null
);
const qualifiedName = result.stringValue;Use qualifiedName wherever your application needs the returned string.
Choosing the right expression
| Question | Best starting point | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| What is this context element called? | name() |
Uses the context node and preserves the QName. |
| What is the name of the first node selected by this path? | name(path) |
Evaluates the path, then reports the first node’s QName. |
| What tag name should I compare without caring about prefixes? | local-name() |
Returns only the local component. |
| How do I distinguish same-named elements from different vocabularies? | local-name() + namespace-uri() |
Tests both the local name and namespace identity. |
Troubleshooting XPath name lookups
The result includes a prefix
That is expected from name(): it returns a QName. Use local-name() when the prefix is not part of the value you want.
The expression finds the wrong node
Check whether the argument selects more than one node. name(path) reports only the first node in the supplied node-set. Narrow the path or iterate over the selected nodes in your host language.
//p does not match namespaced content
In browser XPath, unprefixed tests do not automatically match elements in a default namespace. Use a namespace resolver for prefixed expressions, or test local-name() and namespace-uri() explicitly.
Elements from different vocabularies are mixed together
A local name alone is not a complete identity. Add a namespace-uri() condition with the URI for the vocabulary you intend to match.
JavaScript gives an unexpected result type
document.evaluate() returns an XPathResult. Request XPathResult.STRING_TYPE for name functions and read stringValue; use a node-oriented result type only when you actually need the selected nodes.
The expression works in one XPath host but not another
The functions described here are documented in MDN’s XPath 1.0 references, while browser integration is provided by the DOM XPath API. Host APIs can differ in how they supply context nodes, namespace resolvers and result types. Verify those host-specific arguments instead of assuming every XPath engine exposes the same API or language version.
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FAQ
Does name() return an HTML tag in uppercase?
The function returns the QName represented by the XPath data model and host parser. Do not normalize its case or prefix unless your application explicitly requires a particular display format.
Can a namespace URI be empty?
Yes. namespace-uri() returns an empty string for a node without a namespace; it also returns an empty string for non-element and non-attribute nodes.
Is name() limited to elements?
No. It reports the name of the first node supplied, so the node kind and the host document model still matter when you apply it outside ordinary element selections.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Does name() return an HTML tag in uppercase?
It returns the QName represented by the XPath data model and host parser. Normalize case or prefixes only if your application requires a specific display format.
Can a namespace URI be empty?
Yes. namespace-uri() returns an empty string for a node without a namespace, and also for non-element and non-attribute nodes.
Is name() limited to elements?
No. It reports the name of the first supplied node, so the node kind and host document model matter when you use it outside ordinary element selections.
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