Media upload name defaults to 'layout 1"

Deactivate all plugins, switchover to a WP default theme (say 2012) and see if the problem persists.

BTW, are all sites hosted with the same host/server?

Yes, I did that, changing themes and deactivating plugins and no they aren’t all on the same server.
Strange!

Can you post an image even if the name defaults to Layout 1? Can you post a link where we can see the problem?

Sure!
This is one
and this is another from the same site/server

and this is from a totally different site on a different server
giving me a totally strange result:
‘https://chmcreative.com/:/chmcreative.com/wp-content/uploads/clearright2.jpg/’
with a colon? but I can’t get this to show in my browser from any link, it says it isn’t found….
I can get to it this way though
/wp-content/uploads/clearright2.jpg
Let me know if there’s anything else I can help with!

The first link given by you can be viewed only by you.
The second link shows the image correctly:
https://50.87.39.161/~drkimbe6/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/calmright1.jpg
and its link that shows the attachment ID /?attachment_id=132 has the words Layout 1 possibly as part of the template (theme).

Can you show this attachment page (the second link cited by you) after switching over to a default WordPress theme such as 2012 or 2013?

The problem is that when I upload a file WP is changing the title of the post attachment to ‘layout 1’ so in my data, I have titles ‘layout 1, layout 1-1, layout 1-2 etc.

The same thing is happening on a site I have had up for years, as well as this one that I am developing now. They are on different servers, as well. THAT is what is troubling! I am nervous about updating any other sites fearing this is a bug.

The same link is in 2012 now and when I upload – WHILE 2012 is ACTIVE, it’s still changing the title.

Do you have any other suggestions?

Can you edit the title of the attachment and change it to a relevant title for the attachment?

Yes!

That means a plugin or script may be adding Layout 1 when you do not fill in the title for the image. By default it should be the image name (in this case: calmright1) if you do not fill in the image title. Have you been assigning titles for images or just uploading them?

Just uploading them, I know that it is supposed to be the default name, that’s why I was concerned. Sorry if I haven’t been as clear as I needed to be with explaining this…

Anyway, what script/plugin would cross servers and sites running 2012 with no plugins activated?

what script/plugin would cross servers and sites running 2012 with no plugins activated?

I can’t say for sure. I posted the above view after testing images in my test server with Twenty Twelve theme and, maybe none of the plugins that you may be running. If a plugin is doing that, you can detect it by deactivating all plugins, testing with images, and then activating plugins one by one.

I deactivated all the plugins. AND switched the theme to 2012.
It still changed the name.
I did that before I posted and AGAIN before I posted this morning to make sure I wasn’t crazy.
Is this a bug? Or is is that I exude uncontrollable scripts just by typing?
Hmmmm.
PS Both the servers I use are apache. Monkey Wrench hosting and Bluehost, you?

Have you tried resetting the plugins folder by PhpMyAdmin. Sometimes, an apparently inactive plugin can still cause problems.

deactivated ALL plugins and WHILE the folder was renamed plugins.hold AND using 2012 as my theme, the media uploader is still renaming my media files Layout 1

wow.

No – try the Phpmyadmin method of resetting the plugin’s folder.