How to Fix Either name or item.name should be specified Error in Blogger

The Problem: Red Errors in Search Console

Error: 

How to Fix "Either 'name' or 'item.name' should be specified" Error in Blogger

If you recently checked your Google Search Console and saw a "Breadcrumbs" error labeled "Either 'name' or 'item.name' should be specified," you aren't alone. This is one of the most common Structured Data errors for Blogger (Blogspot) users.

Usually, when you look at the details, you will see a URL that looks broken or contains strange text like: %3C!--Can't%20find%20substitution%20for%20tag%20[post.labels.first.url.jsonEscaped]--%3E

What does this mean? Simply put, your Blogger theme is trying to tell Google, "This post belongs to Category X." However, if the code is broken—or if you simply forgot to add a Label (category) to your post—the theme sends a blank space instead of a name. Google doesn't like blank spaces in Schema data, so it flags the error.

Here are the two ways to fix this, starting with the easiest method.

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Method 1: The Quick Fix (No Coding Required)

For 90% of users, this error happens simply because a post was published without a Label.

Blogger themes often use the "First Label" of your post to create the breadcrumb trail (e.g., Home > Technology > Post Title). If there is no label, the trail breaks.

How to fix it:

• Log in to your Blogger Dashboard.
• Go to your Posts list.
• Find the post that is generating the error (check the URL in Search Console).
• Add a Label to the post (e.g., "News", "Life", "Tech").
• Click Update.
• Go back to Google Search Console and click "Validate Fix" or "Test Live URL."

If the error disappears, you are done!

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Method 2: The Permanent Fix (Edit Theme HTML)

If you want to ensure this error never happens again, even if you forget to add a label, you need to modify your theme code. We will tell the theme to skip the breadcrumb step if no label exists.

Warning: Always go to Theme > Backup before editing your HTML.

Step 1: Find the Code

• Go to Theme > Edit HTML.
• Click inside the code box and press Ctrl + F (Windows) or Cmd + F (Mac).
• Search for item.name or BreadcrumbList.
• Look for a section that resembles the code below:

HTML

{
  "@type": "ListItem",
  "position": 2,
  "item": {
    "@id": "<data:post.labels.first.url.jsonEscaped/>",
    "name": "<data:post.labels.first.name/>"
  }
}

Step 2: Add the Condition We need to wrap that specific block in a "conditional tag." This tells the browser: "Only run this code IF labels actually exist."

Replace the code block above with this:

HTML

<b:if cond='data:post.labels'>
  {
    "@type": "ListItem",
    "position": 2,
    "item": {
      "@id": "<data:post.labels.first.url.jsonEscaped/>",
      "name": "<data:post.labels.first.name/>"
    }
  },
</b:if>

Note: Be careful with commas! If this block is followed by another item, ensure the JSON structure remains valid.

Step 3: Save and Test

• Click the Save (floppy disk) icon.
• Go to Google Search Console.
• Inspect the URL again and click "Test Live URL."

Conclusion

Schema errors can look scary, but they usually just mean Google is confused by missing data. By ensuring your posts always have labels, or by making your theme code smarter with the fix above, you can clear your Search Console of red flags and keep your SEO health in check.

Did this fix work for you? Let me know in the comments below!