Today’s Question: Is original filename preserved anywhere when renaming is used [in Lightroom Classic], especially when exporting?
Tim’s Quick Answer: If you rename photos within Lightroom Classic, the original filename is preserved in metadata so you can review that filename or revert the filename as needed. However, when you rename upon export that “new” filename is not preserved along with the original photo in your catalog.
More Detail: You can, of course, rename photos from within Lightroom Classic. For example, you can simply change the File Name field in the Metadata section of the right panel in the Library module. You can also batch-rename multiple selected photos using the Library > Rename Photos command on the menu.
When you rename photos in Lightroom Classic, the original filename is preserved in the “Original Filename” field that will then appear in the Metadata section of the right panel in the Library module. You can obviously review that original filename there, or use the original filename within the batch renaming feature to revert photos to their original filenames.
However, when you rename photos during export, the original filename is not preserved as part of that process. That is because you’re not actually renaming the photo being managed in your Lightroom Classic catalog, but rather are creating a new file with a new name.