Non database driven batch rename app wanted

In Aperture you can set up batch renaming presets using custom names, dates, hours, sequence numbers, counters, master names, etc. You can apply this either at the import stage, or later when exporting to version or as a master.

My current import preset is "YYYY-MM-DD_hh:mm:ss_image name" which assures me that all my imports have unique names dans not just DSC-xxxx.NEF.

I'm sure Lightroom has the same ability, but I doubt iPhoto does and I don't know for Picasa.

 

They have to be in the Aperture database, but they don't have to be in the library itself if you use referenced files. It depends on what exactly you need this process for... you mentioned cloud storage in your OP but now also talking about USB drives ?

Basically with Aperture you unload your camera and add the files to either the library (your home folder) or to a referenced folder (which can be anywhere). You can batch rename them at this stage. When you've sorted/edited/tagged your photos in Aperture, you can then export a master file (untouched original) or a version (edited, tagged, etc) to TIFF or JPEG. You can rename them again at this stage if you need to.

For your USB drive question, if you're exporting versions to show/share your photos, yes you can batch rename them to the USB drive and they'll have the same names wherever you take them (Mac, Windows, Linux, etc).

 

The names of the NEF files are created when you pull them off of your camera. They're independent of the actual database; the files are simply referenced by Lightroom/Aperture. If you export a backup to a different location, the names will remain (although in some software you can choose to rename the backups). If you delete the photos from the database, the files (and thus the file names) will remain, unless you choose to have the actual NEF file sent to the trash. As another poster stated, you can also batch rename files when exporting to jpeg or tiff for distribution.

If all else fails, there's always Automator.