How to rename a database?

I need to rename a database. I thought I could do it with:

ALTER DATABASE RENAME GLOBAL_NAME TO <new_name>;

..and I also adjusted parameter DB_NAME in init.ora, renamed init.ora so the new name was embedded
in it (init<new_name>.ora) and added an entry for the new name in /etc/oratab. However, when I did

SELECT NAME FROM V$DATABASE
..I still saw the old name. And after shutting down and starting up again, I got the message

ORA-01103 Database name <old_name> in control file is not <new_name>

I thought the ALTER DATABASE would update the control file? Is there more I should do, short of dropping and recreating the database? Thanks.

• Paul de Anguera, City of Seattle / HRIS