Setting up a custom roblox billboard gui player name tag is one of those small changes that instantly makes your game feel more polished and professional. If you've spent any time on Roblox, you know the default name tags are a bit lackluster. They do the job, sure, but they don't exactly scream "high-quality production." Whether you're building a massive roleplay city or a fast-paced combat arena, having a name tag that matches your game's aesthetic is a total game-changer.
The cool thing about Billboard GUIs is that they exist in 3D space but behave like 2D interfaces. They "face" the camera, which is why they're perfect for identifying players as they run around your map. But let's be real—if you don't set them up correctly, they can look blurry, get hidden behind walls, or just clutter up the screen.
Why bother with a custom name tag?
Think about the last time you played a top-tier game on the platform. I'm betting the players had tags that showed more than just their username. Maybe they had a level indicator, a special "VIP" badge, or a color-coded rank based on their group status. These visual cues tell players exactly who they're looking at without anyone having to say a word.
When you create your own roblox billboard gui player name tag, you're taking control of the player's identity within your world. You can change the font to match your game's theme (like a scary font for horror or a bubbly one for a simulator) and use colors that make sense for your team mechanics. It's all about that extra layer of immersion.
The basic setup in Studio
Getting started doesn't require a degree in computer science. You'll mostly be working inside the Explorer and Properties windows. First, you need to create the actual Billboard GUI. Usually, people just drop a BillboardGui into ServerStorage or ReplicatedStorage so they can clone it onto players later.
Inside that Billboard GUI, you're going to need a TextLabel. This is where the magic happens. This label will eventually display the player's name. I always recommend setting the Size of the TextLabel to {1, 0}, {1, 0} so it fills up the entire Billboard container. It just makes your life easier when you're trying to center things.
One property you really want to pay attention to is AlwaysOnTop. If you check this box, the name tag will be visible even through walls. Now, whether you want that depends on your game. In a hide-and-seek game, it would be a disaster. In a social hangout? It's probably fine. Just keep in mind that "AlwaysOnTop" can sometimes feel a bit "cheaty" if it's not used intentionally.
Making it look good
Let's talk about the design for a second. A plain white box with black text is boring. To make your roblox billboard gui player name tag actually look decent, you should play around with UIStroke. Adding a thin black outline to your text makes it much easier to read against different backgrounds. If a player stands in front of a white wall, white text is going to disappear. That outline (or "stroke") saves the day.
Another pro tip: use TextScaled. Since players move closer and further away from each other, you want the text to fit the container perfectly. However, keep an eye on the ExtentsOffset property of the Billboard GUI. This is what lets you hover the tag above the player's head instead of right inside their face. Usually, setting the Y-offset to somewhere around 2 or 3 is the sweet spot.
The scripting part (It's not that scary)
You can have the prettiest GUI in the world, but it won't do anything if it's just sitting in storage. You need a script to put that roblox billboard gui player name tag onto every player who joins. You'll want to use a Script (not a LocalScript) inside ServerScriptService for this.
The logic is pretty straightforward: 1. Listen for the PlayerAdded event. 2. Every time a player's character spawns (use CharacterAdded), clone your GUI from storage. 3. Set the Adornee of the GUI to the character's head. 4. Parent the GUI to the character's head or the character itself. 5. Update the TextLabel to show the player's DisplayName or Name.
I personally prefer using DisplayName because that's what most people use nowadays, but it's totally up to you. You can even combine them! Something like "Name (@Username)" can work if you want to be super thorough.
Adding levels and ranks
Once you've got the basic name showing up, you might get the itch to add more info. This is where it gets fun. If you have a leveling system, you can easily add another TextLabel to your Billboard GUI.
In your script, you'd just look at the player's leaderstats (or whatever data system you're using) and update the text accordingly. If you want to get really fancy, you can change the color of the name tag based on the player's team. For instance, if player.TeamColor is "Bright blue," you set the text color to match. It's a small detail that helps players identify allies and enemies instantly.
Dealing with distance and scaling
One issue I see a lot of new developers run into is the name tags getting way too big when they're far away or so small they disappear when you're close. You want to look at the DistanceDisplayMode and MaxDistance properties.
If you don't want the entire map to be a cluttered mess of names, set a MaxDistance of about 50 or 100 studs. That way, you only see the names of people who are actually near you. It keeps the screen clean and helps with game performance, too. Nobody needs to see a name tag from a mile away unless they're an admin or something.
Common pitfalls to avoid
I've made plenty of mistakes with these tags myself. One of the biggest ones is forgetting to set the LightInfluence to 0. If you leave it at 1, your name tag will get dark when the player walks into a shadow. That's usually not what you want for a UI element. You want it to be "self-lit" so it's always readable.
Another thing to watch out for is the "ZOffset." If your name tag is clipping through a player's hat or accessories, bumping the ZOffset up a tiny bit can push the GUI "forward" in the rendering order, fixing that weird flickering effect.
Final touches and flair
If you really want to go the extra mile, try adding a UIGradient to your text. A subtle fade from one color to another can make a roblox billboard gui player name tag look incredibly high-end. Or, you could add a small icon next to the name—like a hammer for developers or a star for top players.
You could even script the tag to change transparency when a player is "AFK" or in a menu. The possibilities are honestly endless once you get the basic attachment script working. It's all about experimentation. Don't be afraid to break things and see what looks best.
At the end of the day, your name tag is the first thing other players notice about someone else. It's a huge part of the social experience in Roblox. By spending a little extra time on your roblox billboard gui player name tag, you're making your game feel like a lived-in, thoughtful world rather than just another template. So, jump into Studio, mess around with those properties, and see what kind of cool designs you can come up with!