Use valid SQL Database names

November 27, 2025 ยท View on GitHub

SYNOPSIS

Azure SQL Database names should meet naming requirements.

DESCRIPTION

When naming Azure resources, resource names must meet service requirements. The requirements for SQL Database names are:

  • Between 1 and 128 characters long.
  • Letters, numbers, and special characters except: <>*%&:\/?
  • Can't end with period or a space.
  • Must be unique for each logical server.

The following reserved database names can not be used:

  • master
  • model
  • tempdb

RECOMMENDATION

Consider using names that meet Azure SQL Database naming requirements. Additionally consider naming resources with a standard naming convention.

EXAMPLES

Configure with Bicep

To deploy databases that pass this rule:

  • Set the name property to a string that matches the naming requirements.
  • Optionally, consider constraining name parameters with minLength and maxLength attributes.

For example:

@minLength(1)
@maxLength(128)
@description('The name of the resource.')
param name string

@description('The location resources will be deployed.')
param location string = resourceGroup().location

resource database 'Microsoft.Sql/servers/databases@2024-05-01-preview' = {
  parent: server
  name: name
  location: location
  properties: {
    collation: 'SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS'
    maxSizeBytes: maxSize
    catalogCollation: 'SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS'
    readScale: 'Disabled'
    zoneRedundant: true
  }
}

Configure with Azure template

To deploy databases that pass this rule:

  • Set the name property to a string that matches the naming requirements.
  • Optionally, consider constraining name parameters with minLength and maxLength attributes.
{
  "$schema": "https://schema.management.azure.com/schemas/2019-04-01/deploymentTemplate.json#",
  "contentVersion": "1.0.0.0",
  "parameters": {
    "name": {
      "type": "string",
      "minLength": 1,
      "maxLength": 128,
      "metadata": {
        "description": "The name of the resource."
      }
    },
    "location": {
      "type": "string",
      "defaultValue": "[resourceGroup().location]",
      "metadata": {
        "description": "The location resources will be deployed."
      }
    }
  },
  "resources": [
    {
      "type": "Microsoft.Sql/servers/databases",
      "apiVersion": "2024-05-01-preview",
      "name": "[format('{0}/{1}', parameters('name'), parameters('name'))]",
      "location": "[parameters('location')]",
      "properties": {
        "collation": "SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS",
        "maxSizeBytes": "[variables('maxSize')]",
        "catalogCollation": "SQL_Latin1_General_CP1_CI_AS",
        "readScale": "Disabled",
        "zoneRedundant": true
      }
    }
  ]
}

NOTES

This rule does not check if Azure SQL Database names are unique.