What is a valid PostgreSQL database name?

Question

I create a database with a hyphen in the middle of the name with createdb. That successfully creates the database, but within the psql interactive client, I get a syntax error if I try a command like this:

ALTER DATABASE my-database SET SCHEMA = myschema,public;

psql complains of a syntax error at or near "-"

Is there some documentation for what counts as a valid PostgreSQL database name?

Should I just underscores instead of hyphens?

Answer 1

The documentation you asked about is here:

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/current/interactive/sql-syntax-lexical.html#SQL-SYNTAX-IDENTIFIERS

Most people just stick to lowercase letters, numeric digits, and underscores -- to avoid typing the quotes all the time.

Answer 2

Try putting it in double quotes:

ALTER DATABASE "my-database" SET SCHEMA = myschema,public;