 <p>As shown in this complete <a href="http://stackoverflow.com/a/11113648/230513">example</a>, <code>DefaultMutableTreeNode</code> "may also hold a reference to a user object." Your <code>userObject</code> can return the display name in <code>toString()</code>, while providing an accessor for the search name. </p> <p>Addendum: <em>I need only the name to be shown there, not the date.</em></p> <p>The <code>getTreeCellRendererComponent()</code> method of <code>DefaultTreeCellRenderer</code> invokes "<code>convertValueToText()</code>, which ultimately invokes <code>toString()</code> on <code>value</code>." Your implementation should instead call <code>setText()</code> with your preferred value, perhaps derived from the value established by the <code>super</code> implementation. </p>