How can I batch rename files using the Terminal?

I have a set of files, all of them nnn.MP4.mov. How could I rename them so that it is just nnn.mov?

First, do a dry run (will not actually rename any files) with the following:

for file in *.mov
do
  echo mv "$file" "${file/MP4./}"
done

If it all looks fine, remove the echo from the third line to actually rename the files.

I just successfully used Automator (first time I've bothered), and it works really well. I saved the automation as a Service. It took about 10 seconds to make something easily reusable:

1. Open Automator.
2. As type of document, choose "Service".
3. Change Service receives selected "Text" to "files and folders".
4. Consider changing "any application" to just Finder.
5. From the sidebar, select "Files & Folders" (under Library) and from the listed actions, in the center column, drag "Rename Finder items" to the right side and drop it within "Drag actions or files here to build your workflow."
6. Change the action you just added from "Add Date or Time" to "Make Sequential".
7. Click "Options" at the bottom of the action and check the option "Show this action when the workflow runs".
8. Hit "CMD+S" to save the service as something like "Replace Text"..
9. Done!

Now you can right-click any selection in Finder, go to the Service menu and select "Replace Text", fill in how you want the text changed or replaced - and click "Continue" to apply configured changes.

On mac OSX you can install the rename command via Homebrew: brew install rename

Then you can rename using find/replace from that folder on the command line:

rename 's/\.MP4\././' *

You also can see more options using man rename.

To test print the operation:

for file in *.MP4.mov; do j=`echo $file | cut -d . -f 1`;j=$j".mov";echo mv \"$file\" \"$j\"; done

To make it work:

for file in *.MP4.mov; do j=`echo $file | cut -d . -f 1`;j=$j".mov";mv "$file" "$j"; done

for n in *.MP4.mov
do
   mv $n $(echo $n | sed -e 's/.MP4//')
done

This will work even on really old shells that don't have parameter substitution, and it's a tad more readable to my eyes at least.

OS X has a Rename Files… contextual menu item which is invoked when you select two or more files in Finder. Provides the same function as the Automator answer up above. Though Automator provides you with the tools to go further if you wish.

(I know OP asked for Terminal but 33 others like Automator response)

for i in `ls *png`;do echo mv $i "${i%%.*}"@xx."${i##*.}";done

vimv lets you rename multiple files using Vim's text editing capabilities.

Entering vimv opens a Vim window which lists down all files and you can do pattern matching, visual select, etc to edit the names. After you exit Vim, the files will be renamed.

[Disclaimer: I'm the author of the tool]

ls -1 *.MP4.mov | while read f; do mv -i "$f" "$(basename \"$f\" .MP4.mov)"; done

Edit: completly rewritten.

for i in *; 
do j=`echo $i | cut -d . -f 1`; 
j=$j".mov";
mv $i $j; 
done

this will cut everything before the first dot and appends .mov

but if some files are e.g. hi.2.mov and hi.1.mov one will be overwritten, so use it carefully ^^