You cannot change the case of a variable name in a DATA step with the RENAME statement. However, you can change the case of a SAS variable name after the variable has been defined in the DATA step by using the VALIDVARNAME=UPCASE option in an OPTIONS statement. For example:

options validvarname=upcase; 

Operating System and Release Information

options validvarname=upcase;                                                                                                                
                                                                                                                                        
data two;                                                                                                                               
  stuff = 1;                                                                                                                            
  myvar = 0;                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
run;   
                                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                              
proc print data=two label;                                                                                                              
title 'show variable label - same as variable name'; run;                                                                               
                                                                                                                                        
proc print data=two;  
title 'show variable name - should be upper case '; run;

              show variable label - same as variable name              1
                                         10:28 Monday, December 22, 2008

                         Obs    STUFF    MYVAR

                          1       1        0  
                show variable name - should be upper case               2
                                         10:28 Monday, December 22, 2008

                         Obs    STUFF    MYVAR

                          1       1        0