Maya - Joint Hierarchy Alphabetical Renamer

renamer.py

import maya.cmds as mc

window = mc.window(title="Joint Hierarchy Renamer", widthHeight=(500, 55))
mc.columnLayout(adjustableColumn=True)
mc.text(label="Instructions: select top of joint hierarchy")

textField = mc.textFieldButtonGrp(label="New name prefix:", buttonLabel="Rename", buttonCommand="rename_joints()")
mc.showWindow(window)

def rename_joints():
    joint_prefix = mc.textFieldButtonGrp(textField, text=1, q=1)
    def joint_name(idx):
        return joint_prefix + "_" + chr(ord("a") + idx) + "01"

    selected_joint = mc.ls(sl=True, type="joint")    
    mc.select(selected_joint, hierarchy=True)
    joint_hierarchy = mc.ls(sl=True, type="joint")
    joint_hierarchy.reverse()

    for idx, jnt in enumerate(joint_hierarchy, start=1):
        new_name = joint_name(len(joint_hierarchy) - idx)
        mc.rename(jnt, new_name)
    mc.deleteUI(window, window=True)

This is great for renaming finger hierarchies or any hierarchy that you want to rename down the chain with a constant prefix with alphabetical names.

Ex:

1. Select top joint of index finger
2. Run script
3. Enter bind_l_index and click "Rename"
4. All joints are renamed like:

• bind_l_index_a01
• bind_l_index_b01
• etc