How should images of different sizes on the same website be named?

When the same image comes in different sizes, you can distinguish the versions with a shared base filename plus a size label: include the width and height if you need to identify the actual dimensions, or use _s and _b suffixes if there are only small and large versions. The supplied public discussion supports both approaches, but they reflect users’ naming practices, not universal rules for websites or image platforms. If the filename already includes thumbs, there is no need to add it again for the small image. Deciding what the base filename and size label each convey is clearer than continually adding descriptive words.

Small and large versions only: pair them with the same base filename

For the scenario described in the question—using a small image to link to a large one because BBCode cannot specify image dimensions—the naming priority is to make it clear that the two JPGs are versions of the same image while distinguishing their sizes. One respondent said they simply use the suffixes _s.jpg and _b.jpg when there are only two sizes. Applying that approach gives examples such as:

• apple_s.jpg: the small image displayed on the page.
• apple_b.jpg: the large image opened when clicked.

These naming examples are adaptations of the approach described in the discussion, not platform requirements. Filenames identify versions; linking the small image to the large one is a separate setup step. A suffix alone does not mean the link has been configured.

When actual dimensions matter: include the width and height

Another approach is to include the dimensions in the filename. A respondent gave apple_thumb_640x480.jpg as an example and explained that their program inserts the width and height when processing images. Compared with s and b, which indicate only relative size, this type of name preserves the dimensions directly and suits cases where you want to identify the width and height from the filename.

The original poster also mentioned using names such as favicon-16, favicon-32, favicon-48, and favicon-64 for the website’s favicons. These illustrate how numbers can distinguish size variants, but the supplied material does not say that all favicons must follow this format, nor does it establish a naming standard for JPGs.

If thumbs is already present: avoid repeating labels with the same meaning

If thumbs already indicates a thumbnail, the editorial recommendation is to settle on a shared base filename and then choose one system for labeling versions, rather than repeatedly adding thumbs to the small image’s name. You can use a base filename that does not indicate size, paired with _s and _b. If you retain thumb, you can also follow the example in the discussion and append the width and height.

Another respondent suggested looking to Flickr for reference, using English, including keywords, and keeping filenames reasonably short. However, the supplied material does not include Flickr’s specific naming specifications, so this can only be presented as that respondent’s suggestion. For this question, choosing between suffixes for two versions and dimensions directly in the filename is more relevant than pursuing an unverified set of platform rules.