Is it possible to hide the desktop icon names/and just have the icon?

If you're using Windows XP, you can do with with the latest WindowFX (currently only available on Object Desktop).

Actually you can do it manualy. Click on the icon, choose "rename" adn type 0160 while holding down "ALT" key.
To name more then one icon that way type "0160" for one and "0160 0160" for the other one and so on...

That's not hiding the name, though. That's actually changing the name to a null value. If that doesn't matter to you, that's cool. But I'd rather hide the name without actually permanently getting rid of it.

Having said that, I don't use that particular feature in WFX, because there is no tooltip to identify the icon. If you have several items on your desktop with the same icon, you have no easy way to identify them. (Nor could you using your method.)

Hmm, I use that feature of WFX and I get tooltips on my desktop icons.

Do you get tooltips on your shutdown menu? I generally hate WXP tooltips (aka popup balloons) and may have disabled the tooltips you're seeing.

that's interesting I use that feature under window fx and i get tooltips too... are you running that latest version???

I'm not sure what you mean by 'shutdown menu', Tarkus. Are you referring to the window that comes up when you click on Turn Off Computer, asking you if you want to Stand By, Restart, or Shut Down? I think I see tooltips there, but I was mainly referring to when I hover over my desktop icons with the icon text hidden. I see tooltips there which allow me to differentiate between several files with the same icon. Ballon tips, however, only appear from items in the system tray.

Yes, I'm talking about the Turn Off Computer menu. If you're seeing tooltips there, that's why you're seeing tooltips on the desktop and I'm not. I disabled those awhile back. (Not that I disabled them just for that one location.)

So I guess I have to make a choice.