how to change uiviewcontroller title independent of tabbar item title

ios cocoa-touch uiviewcontroller uitabbarcontroller

It sounds like you want the title in the navigation bar to change but not the one in the tabbar. This should do that.

[self.navigationItem setTitle:@"my title"];

Swift:

self.navigationItem.title = "My Title"

ios cocoa-touch uiviewcontroller uitabbarcontroller

So for those who still don't get it (like me)

self.navigationItem.title = @"my title"; sets navigation bar title.

self.tabBarItem.title = @"my title"; sets tab bar title.

self.title = @"my title"; sets both of these.

ios cocoa-touch uiviewcontroller uitabbarcontroller

Swift

Set top bar title

self.navigationController?.navigationBar.topItem?.title = "top title"

Set tab item title

self.tabBarController?.tabBar.items?[0].title = "tab title"

Set both titles

self.title = "both titles"