My computer name now has a (2) after its name

[sebalvarez]

In any Finder window, in the Locations section on the left, you usually have your computer name, and then the names of the drives connected to it right below.

A few weeks ago, completely out of the blue, a "(2)" appeared after the computer name. And I think this is not just a cosmetic change, because I just launched an app that was installed since a year ago, and it asked me to activate it.

Any idea what could be causing that, and how to change it back to the normal? I've had Macs for twenty years and never seen anything like that.

 

[joevt]

Make sure there are no other computers on the same network with the same name?

Try changing the name back to normal? Search for computer name in Preferences. You can change the name in the "About" preferences by clicking on the name.

 

[Mike Boreham]

Make sure there are no other computers on the same network with the same name?

Try changing the name back to normal? Search for computer name in Preferences. You can change the name in the "About" preferences by clicking on the name.

Adding to @joevt 's reply, the situation of having two computers with the same name may only have happened for a brief time and therefore not be the situation currently. The unwanted (2) doesn't get removed when the condition no longer applies.

It has happened to me when I have cloned or restored one computer from a backup of another and had them both on the network at the same time. After the clone/restore they have the same computer name. This has not happened to me for some time.

As @joevt says, provided the condition does not exist currently you can remove the (2) in Settings > General > About

 

[canyelles]

I believe it can happen if you have both ethernet and wifi turned on