Show Widget Area Names (SWAN)
Plugin to show the widget area names on non-admin pages and posts. This adds the title to widget $params['before_widget'].
4.3(4 reviews)
·30 active installs·Updated 11 years agoAs of April 2026, Show Widget Area Names (SWAN) is a WordPress widgets plugin with 30 active installations and a 4.3/5 rating from 4 reviews. It has been downloaded 3.7K+ times in total. Requires WordPress 3.4.1+ and PHP false+. Available on WordPress.org since 2012. Last updated 11 years ago — may have compatibility concerns. Top alternative: One Click Demo Import.
4.3/54 reviews
30active installs
3.7K+total downloads
14 yearssince 2012
Overview
If you get confused by which widget area a widget is attached to when browsing your site then this plugin can help.
The plugin shows the widget area names on non-admin pages and posts. This adds the widget area title to widget $params[‘before_widget’]. This will only display for the edit_posts capabilities. You must use print $params[‘before_widget’] in your widget definitions to view the area name.
If the widget area is empty then no widget area name is displayed.
Recently added a jQuery toggle to the admin menu bar to quickly hide/show the widget area names. See +/- swan link in admin bar.
Screenshots
Ratings & Reviews
4.34 reviews
5 ★
3
4 ★
0
3 ★
0
2 ★
1
1 ★
0
Compatibility
| WordPress | 3.4.1+ requiredTested up to 4.1.42 |
| PHP | false+ required |
Top Alternatives to Show Widget Area Names (SWAN)
Frequently Asked Questions
Changelog
1.0.18
- Update method hooks to visibility public and static for php warnings.
Contributors
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Analysis and metrics by PluginSift.