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If you need to remove the directory or any suffix from a file name you may use basename, this is really useful when you are creating shell scripts.

In the man page, there are this examples

basename /usr/bin/sort

     Output "sort".

basename include/stdio.h .h

     Output "stdio".

you can enter

info basename

to get this output:

File: *manpages*,  Node: basename,  Up: (dir)

BASENAME(1)                      User Commands                     BASENAME(1)

NAME
       basename - strip directory and suffix from filenames

SYNOPSIS
       basename NAME [SUFFIX]
       basename OPTION

DESCRIPTION
       Print  NAME  with  any leading directory components removed.  If speci-
       fied, also remove a trailing SUFFIX.

       --help display this help and exit

       --version
              output version information and exit

EXAMPLES
       basename /usr/bin/sort
              Output "sort".

       basename include/stdio.h .h
              Output "stdio".

AUTHOR
       Written by FIXME unknown.

REPORTING BUGS
       Report bugs to .

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (C) 2006 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
       This is free software.  You may redistribute copies  of  it  under  the
       terms       of       the      GNU      General      Public      License
       .  There is NO WARRANTY,  to  the
       extent permitted by law.

SEE ALSO
       The  full documentation for basename is maintained as a Texinfo manual.
       If the info and basename programs are properly installed at your  site,
       the command

              info basename

       should give you access to the complete manual.

basename 5.97                    January 2007                      BASENAME(1)