Label in Name
Tier 1 · The normative floor
Baseline compliance
What the normative text of WCAG 2.2 requires, and nothing more. Only a failure of this tier is a WCAG failure.
The bare minimum
For components whose label includes text or images of text, the accessible name contains the text that is shown visually.
Normative text
Verbatim from WCAG 2.2, W3C Recommendation 12 December 2024. Underlined terms are defined below.
For user interface components with labels that include text or images of text, the name contains the text that is presented visually.
Not required by the normative text
Common claims that this criterion does not support. Don't log these as WCAG failures.
- Starting the name with the visible label. W3C's informative note calls that a best practice, not a requirement.
- An exact match. Extra words are allowed as long as the visible text is included.
Definitions used (5)
Glossary definitions are normative. Their notes are informative.
- user interface component
-
a part of the content that is perceived by users as a single control for a distinct function
Informative notes (3)
Multiple user interface components may be implemented as a single programmatic element. "Components" here is not tied to programming techniques, but rather to what the user perceives as separate controls.
User interface components include form elements and links as well as components generated by scripts.
What is meant by "component" or "user interface component" here is also sometimes called "user interface element".
- label
-
text or other component with a text alternative that is presented to a user to identify a component within web content
Informative notes (2)
A label is presented to all users whereas the name may be hidden and only exposed by assistive technology. In many (but not all) cases the name and the label are the same.
The term label is not limited to the label element in HTML.
- text
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sequence of characters that can be programmatically determined, where the sequence is expressing something in human language
- image of text
-
text that has been rendered in a non-text form (e.g., an image) in order to achieve a particular visual effect
Informative notes (1)
This does not include text that is part of a picture that contains significant other visual content.
- name
-
text by which software can identify a component within web content to the user
Informative notes (2)
The name may be hidden and only exposed by assistive technology, whereas a label is presented to all users. In many (but not all) cases, the label and the name are the same.
This is unrelated to the name attribute in HTML.
Notes in the criterion Informative
WCAG 2.2 lists notes among its informative material, which "does not create requirements that impact a conformance claim." They help interpret the criterion but are not part of the floor.
A best practice is to have the text of the label at the start of the name.
Tier 2 · The gap
Usability & user impact
Where content can meet this criterion and still make things harder for people with disabilities. These are not failures of SC 2.5.3, so raise them as usability defects. Known failures, including failures of related criteria, are listed in Tier 1.
If the visible words sit in the middle of a longer name, some speech-input tools match less reliably.
Tier 3 · The golden path
Recommended best practice
The pattern that meets the floor, closes the gap, and avoids audit disputes. A recommendation, not a requirement.
Make the accessible name match the visible label, or start with it.
W3C's Understanding document and techniques for SC 2.5.3 ↗ are informative: sufficient techniques show ways to pass, and documented failures show common ways to fail, but neither changes what the criterion requires.
How SC 2.5.3 maps to the WCAG 3 draft
From this site's reviewed map to the WCAG 3 editor's draft. It's an interpretation: W3C has not published a mapping.
Successor provisions
From WCAG 2.2, section 5.1: “The main content of WCAG 2.2 is normative and defines requirements that impact conformance claims. Introductory material, appendices, sections marked as "non-normative", diagrams, examples, and notes are informative (non-normative). Non-normative material provides advisory information to help interpret the guidelines but does not create requirements that impact a conformance claim.”