Max length of SQL Server instance name?

Question

I need to know the maximum character length for the name of an instance of a SQL Server for the following versions (if there is a difference between them.)

• SQL Ser

Answer 1

The only instances where I've seen a character limit are for the SQL Server 2012, and that limit appears to be 16 as others have said. I have 2008 and 2008 R2 instances where the name doesn't seem to have been limited (e.g. MSRS10.MSSQLSERVER_2008), but that could just be that I didn't try for anything longer than 23 or 24 characters. I'm sorry this doesn't provide information from docs, but I hope it's helpful.