diff --git a/src/bind_unit.c b/src/bind_unit.c
index e18a81d8a..6c61b2beb 100755
--- a/src/bind_unit.c
+++ b/src/bind_unit.c
@@ -167,7 +167,7 @@ static int tolua_unit_set_group(lua_State * L)
 static int tolua_unit_get_name(lua_State * L)
 {
     unit *self = (unit *)tolua_tousertype(L, 1, 0);
-    tolua_pushstring(L, self->name);
+    tolua_pushstring(L, unit_getname(self));
     return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/creport.c b/src/creport.c
index fc823284f..845adf864 100644
--- a/src/creport.c
+++ b/src/creport.c
@@ -758,7 +758,7 @@ static void cr_output_unit(FILE * F, const region * r, const faction * f,
     assert(u && u->number);
 
     fprintf(F, "EINHEIT %d\n", u->no);
-    fprintf(F, "\"%s\";Name\n", u->name);
+    fprintf(F, "\"%s\";Name\n", unit_getname(u));
     str = u_description(u, f->locale);
     if (str) {
         fprintf(F, "\"%s\";Beschr\n", str);
diff --git a/src/gmtool.c b/src/gmtool.c
index e92299f2b..91134e8b5 100644
--- a/src/gmtool.c
+++ b/src/gmtool.c
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ static void paint_info_region(window * wnd, const state * st)
             wattroff(win, A_BOLD | COLOR_PAIR(COLOR_YELLOW));
             for (u = r->units; u && line < maxline; u = u->next) {
                 mvwprintw(win, line, 1, "%.4s ", itoa36(u->no));
-                mvwaddnstr(win, line++, 6, (char *)u->name, size - 5);
+                mvwaddnstr(win, line++, 6, unit_getname(u), size - 5);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/kernel/save.c b/src/kernel/save.c
index db9999148..dc7444667 100644
--- a/src/kernel/save.c
+++ b/src/kernel/save.c
@@ -618,7 +618,7 @@ unit *read_unit(struct gamedata *data)
     }
 
     READ_STR(data->store, obuf, sizeof(obuf));
-    u->name = _strdup(obuf);
+    u->_name = _strdup(obuf);
     if (lomem) {
         READ_STR(data->store, NULL, 0);
     }
@@ -754,8 +754,8 @@ void write_unit(struct gamedata *data, const unit * u)
 
     write_unit_reference(u, data->store);
     write_faction_reference(u->faction, data->store);
-    WRITE_STR(data->store, (const char *)u->name);
-    WRITE_STR(data->store, u->display ? (const char *)u->display : "");
+    WRITE_STR(data->store, u->_name);
+    WRITE_STR(data->store, u->display ? u->display : "");
     WRITE_INT(data->store, u->number);
     WRITE_INT(data->store, u->age);
     WRITE_TOK(data->store, u_race(u)->_name);
@@ -1600,7 +1600,7 @@ int readgame(const char *filename, int backup)
             sc_mage *mage;
 
             if (gdata.version < AUTO_RACENAME_VERSION) {
-                if (u->name && fval(u->faction, FFL_NPC)) {
+                if (u->_name && fval(u->faction, FFL_NPC)) {
                     if (unit_name_equals_race(u)) {
                         unit_setname(u, NULL);
                     }
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.c b/src/kernel/unit.c
index 2b987c572..07731e636 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.c
@@ -1430,7 +1430,7 @@ int invisible(const unit * target, const unit * viewer)
  */
 void free_unit(unit * u)
 {
-    free(u->name);
+    free(u->_name);
     free(u->display);
     free_order(u->thisorder);
     free_orders(&u->orders);
@@ -1542,7 +1542,7 @@ unit *create_unit(region * r, faction * f, int number, const struct race *urace,
         name_unit(u);
     }
     else {
-        u->name = _strdup(dname);
+        u->_name = _strdup(dname);
     }
 
     if (creator) {
@@ -1633,16 +1633,21 @@ int countheroes(const struct faction *f)
 
 const char *unit_getname(const unit * u)
 {
-    return (const char *)u->name;
+    if (!u->_name) {
+        const struct locale * lang = u->faction ? u->faction->locale : default_locale;
+        const char *rcname = rc_name_s(u->_race, u->number == 1 ? NAME_SINGULAR : NAME_PLURAL);
+        return LOC(lang, rcname);
+    }
+    return u->_name;
 }
 
 void unit_setname(unit * u, const char *name)
 {
-    free(u->name);
+    free(u->_name);
     if (name)
-        u->name = _strdup(name);
+        u->_name = _strdup(name);
     else
-        u->name = NULL;
+        u->_name = NULL;
 }
 
 const char *unit_getinfo(const unit * u)
@@ -1880,14 +1885,8 @@ static int nextbuf = 0;
 
 char *write_unitname(const unit * u, char *buffer, size_t size)
 {
-    if (u->name) {
-        slprintf(buffer, size, "%s (%s)", u->name, itoa36(u->no));
-    }
-    else {
-        const struct locale * lang = u->faction ? u->faction->locale : default_locale;
-        const char * name = rc_name_s(u->_race, u->number == 1 ? NAME_SINGULAR : NAME_PLURAL);
-        slprintf(buffer, size, "%s (%s)", LOC(lang, name), itoa36(u->no));
-    }
+    const char * name = unit_getname(u);
+    slprintf(buffer, size, "%s (%s)", name, itoa36(u->no));
     buffer[size - 1] = 0;
     return buffer;
 }
@@ -1899,14 +1898,14 @@ const char *unitname(const unit * u)
 }
 
 bool unit_name_equals_race(const unit *u) {
-    if (u->name) {
+    if (u->_name) {
         char sing[32], plur[32];
         const struct locale *lang = u->faction->locale;
         rc_name(u->_race, NAME_SINGULAR, sing, sizeof(sing));
         rc_name(u->_race, NAME_PLURAL, plur, sizeof(plur));
-        if (strcmp(u->name, sing) == 0 || strcmp(u->name, plur) == 0 ||
-            strcmp(u->name, LOC(lang, sing)) == 0 ||
-            strcmp(u->name, LOC(lang, plur)) == 0) {
+        if (strcmp(u->_name, sing) == 0 || strcmp(u->_name, plur) == 0 ||
+            strcmp(u->_name, LOC(lang, sing)) == 0 ||
+            strcmp(u->_name, LOC(lang, plur)) == 0) {
             return true;
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.h b/src/kernel/unit.h
index 5fd40c57e..95e789c3c 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.h
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.h
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ extern "C" {
         struct region *region;
         int no;
         int hp;
-        char *name;
+        char *_name;
         char *display;
         struct faction *faction;
         struct building *building;
diff --git a/src/kernel/unit.test.c b/src/kernel/unit.test.c
index 76d708721..659871745 100644
--- a/src/kernel/unit.test.c
+++ b/src/kernel/unit.test.c
@@ -155,10 +155,12 @@ static void test_unit_name_from_race(CuTest *tc) {
 
     _snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "Mensch (%s)", itoa36(u->no));
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, name, unitname(u));
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "Mensch", unit_getname(u));
 
     u->number = 2;
     _snprintf(name, sizeof(name), "Menschen (%s)", itoa36(u->no));
     CuAssertStrEquals(tc, name, unitname(u));
+    CuAssertStrEquals(tc, "Menschen", unit_getname(u));
 
     test_cleanup();
 }
diff --git a/src/laws.c b/src/laws.c
index 7fc04876b..2904aaf7b 100755
--- a/src/laws.c
+++ b/src/laws.c
@@ -1835,9 +1835,10 @@ int name_cmd(struct unit *u, struct order *ord)
             }
             else {
                 const char *udefault = LOC(u2->faction->locale, "unitdefault");
+                const char *uname = unit_getname(u2);
                 size_t udlen = strlen(udefault);
-                size_t unlen = strlen(u2->name);
-                if (unlen >= udlen && strncmp(u2->name, udefault, udlen) != 0) {
+                size_t unlen = strlen(uname);
+                if (unlen >= udlen && strncmp(uname, udefault, udlen) != 0) {
                     cmistake(u2, ord, 244, MSG_EVENT);
                     break;
                 }
@@ -1850,10 +1851,10 @@ int name_cmd(struct unit *u, struct order *ord)
                 ADDMSG(&u2->faction->msgs, msg_message("renamed_notseen",
                     "renamed region", u2, r));
             }
-            s = &u2->name;
+            s = &u2->_name;
         }
         else {
-            s = &u->name;
+            s = &u->_name;
         }
         break;
 
diff --git a/src/report.c b/src/report.c
index 7b794e709..649eae934 100644
--- a/src/report.c
+++ b/src/report.c
@@ -1589,7 +1589,7 @@ report_template(const char *filename, report_context * ctx, const char *charset)
                 size = sizeof(buf) - 1;
                 bytes = _snprintf(bufp, size, "%s %s;    %s [%d,%d$",
                     LOC(u->faction->locale, parameters[P_UNIT]),
-                    unitid(u), u->name, u->number, get_money(u));
+                    unitid(u), unit_getname(u), u->number, get_money(u));
                 if (wrptr(&bufp, &size, bytes) != 0)
                     WARN_STATIC_BUFFER();
                 if (u->building && building_owner(u->building) == u) {
diff --git a/src/reports.c b/src/reports.c
index 1d305230f..3ad08371b 100644
--- a/src/reports.c
+++ b/src/reports.c
@@ -2074,7 +2074,7 @@ static void eval_unitname(struct opstack **stack, const void *userdata)
 {                               /* unit -> string */
     const struct faction *f = (const struct faction *)userdata;
     const struct unit *u = (const struct unit *)opop(stack).v;
-    const char *c = u ? u->name : LOC(f->locale, "an_unknown_unit");
+    const char *c = u ? unit_getname(u) : LOC(f->locale, "an_unknown_unit");
     size_t len = strlen(c);
     variant var;
 
@@ -2086,7 +2086,7 @@ static void eval_unitid(struct opstack **stack, const void *userdata)
 {                               /* unit -> int */
     const struct faction *f = (const struct faction *)userdata;
     const struct unit *u = (const struct unit *)opop(stack).v;
-    const char *c = u ? u->name : LOC(f->locale, "an_unknown_unit");
+    const char *c = u ? unit_getname(u) : LOC(f->locale, "an_unknown_unit");
     size_t len = strlen(c);
     variant var;
 
diff --git a/src/spells/combatspells.c b/src/spells/combatspells.c
index 21410465d..1cb4c8444 100644
--- a/src/spells/combatspells.c
+++ b/src/spells/combatspells.c
@@ -1748,7 +1748,7 @@ int sp_undeadhero(struct castorder * co)
             if (j > 0) {
                 item **ilist;
                 unit *u =
-                    create_unit(r, mage->faction, 0, get_race(RC_UNDEAD), 0, du->name,
+                    create_unit(r, mage->faction, 0, get_race(RC_UNDEAD), 0, du->_name,
                     du);
 
                 /* new units gets some stats from old unit */