Based on the assumption that the Northern Court was legitimate, there is an idea that he should be called Gentoku (Gentoku-in) for the first half of the period (until the Genko Incident) and Go-Daigo (Go Daigo-in) for the latter half (from his return to Kyoto and the new government of Kenmu to the enthronement of the Emperor Komyo); however, considering that "the once abdicated Emperor Go-Daigo returned to the throne after an interval of the era of Emperor Kogon," this is only a personal opinion.
北朝を正統とする場合、「後醍醐は光厳天皇の治世期間をはさんで重祚した」とみなし、前半（元弘の変まで）を「元徳天皇（元徳院）」、後半（京都帰還・建武の新政から光明天皇即位まで）を「後醍醐天皇（後醍醐院）」とする案もあるが、これはあくまで私案である。