diff --git a/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterNameTests.cs b/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterNameTests.cs
index 4d91f1910..ccd55e16b 100644
--- a/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterNameTests.cs
+++ b/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterNameTests.cs
@@ -4,10 +4,18 @@
 
 namespace ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests.Imperator.Characters {
 	public class CharacterNameTests {
-		[Fact] public void CustomNameOverridesName() {
+		[Fact]
+		public void NameAndCustomNameDefaultToCorrectValues() {
+			var reader = new BufferedReader(string.Empty);
+			var characterName = new CharacterName(reader);
+			Assert.Equal(string.Empty, characterName.Name);
+			Assert.Null(characterName.CustomName);
+		}
+		[Fact] public void NameAndCustomNameCanBeRead() {
 			var reader = new BufferedReader("name=a custom_name=b");
 			var characterName = new CharacterName(reader);
-			Assert.Equal("b", characterName.Name);
+			Assert.Equal("a", characterName.Name);
+			Assert.Equal("b", characterName.CustomName);
 		}
 	}
 }
diff --git a/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterTests.cs b/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterTests.cs
index 167f0f607..9e24d1114 100644
--- a/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterTests.cs
+++ b/ImperatorToCK3.UnitTests/Imperator/Characters/CharacterTests.cs
@@ -26,7 +26,8 @@ public void FieldsCanBeSet() {
 				"\tfamily=125" +
 				"\twealth=\"420.5\"" +
 				"\tfirst_name_loc = {\n" +
-				"\t\tname=\"Biggus Dickus\"\n" +
+				"\t\tname=\"Biggus_Dickus\"\n" +
+				"\t\tcustom_name=\"CUSTOM NAME\"\n" +
 				"\t}\n" +
 				"\tnickname = \"the Great\"\n" +
 				"\tattributes={ martial=1 finesse=2 charisma=3 zeal=4 }" +
@@ -78,7 +79,8 @@ public void FieldsCanBeSet() {
 			Assert.Equal((ulong)124, character.Father.Key);
 			Assert.Equal((ulong)125, character.Family.Key);
 			Assert.Equal(420.5, character.Wealth);
-			Assert.Equal("Biggus Dickus", character.Name);
+			Assert.Equal("Biggus_Dickus", character.Name);
+			Assert.Equal("CUSTOM NAME", character.CustomName);
 			Assert.Equal("the Great", character.Nickname);
 			Assert.Equal(1, character.Attributes.Martial);
 			Assert.Equal(2, character.Attributes.Finesse);
@@ -107,6 +109,7 @@ public void FieldsDefaultToCorrectValues() {
 			Assert.Equal((ulong)0, character.Family.Key);
 			Assert.Equal(0, character.Wealth);
 			Assert.Equal(string.Empty, character.Name);
+			Assert.Null(character.CustomName);
 			Assert.Equal(string.Empty, character.Nickname);
 			Assert.Equal(0, character.Attributes.Martial);
 			Assert.Equal(0, character.Attributes.Finesse);
diff --git a/ImperatorToCK3/CK3/Characters/Character.cs b/ImperatorToCK3/CK3/Characters/Character.cs
index e55141678..75529fba4 100644
--- a/ImperatorToCK3/CK3/Characters/Character.cs
+++ b/ImperatorToCK3/CK3/Characters/Character.cs
@@ -57,7 +57,37 @@ Date dateOnConversion
 			ImperatorCharacter = impCharacter;
 			ImperatorCharacter.CK3Character = this;
 			ID = "imperator" + ImperatorCharacter.ID.ToString();
-			Name = ImperatorCharacter.Name;
+
+			if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(ImperatorCharacter.CustomName)) {
+				var loc = ImperatorCharacter.CustomName;
+				Name = "IMPTOCK3_CUSTOM_NAME_" + loc.Replace(' ', '_');
+				Localizations.Add(Name, new LocBlock {
+					english = loc,
+					french = loc,
+					german = loc,
+					russian = loc,
+					simp_chinese = loc,
+					spanish = loc
+				});
+			} else {
+				Name = ImperatorCharacter.Name;
+				if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(Name)) {
+					var impNameLoc = localizationMapper.GetLocBlockForKey(Name);
+					if (impNameLoc is not null) {
+						Localizations.Add(Name, impNameLoc);
+					} else {  // fallback: use unlocalized name as displayed name
+						Localizations.Add(Name, new LocBlock {
+							english = Name,
+							french = Name,
+							german = Name,
+							russian = Name,
+							simp_chinese = Name,
+							spanish = Name
+						});
+					}
+				}
+			}
+
 			Female = ImperatorCharacter.Female;
 			Age = ImperatorCharacter.Age;
 
@@ -109,22 +139,6 @@ Date dateOnConversion
 				Culture = match;
 			}
 
-			if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(Name)) {
-				var impNameLoc = localizationMapper.GetLocBlockForKey(Name);
-				if (impNameLoc is not null) {
-					Localizations.Add(Name, impNameLoc);
-				} else {  // fallback: use unlocalized name as displayed name
-					Localizations.Add(Name, new LocBlock {
-						english = Name,
-						french = Name,
-						german = Name,
-						russian = Name,
-						simp_chinese = Name,
-						spanish = Name
-					});
-				}
-			}
-
 			foreach (var impTrait in ImperatorCharacter.Traits) {
 				var traitMatch = traitMapper.GetCK3TraitForImperatorTrait(impTrait);
 				if (traitMatch is not null) {
diff --git a/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/Character.cs b/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/Character.cs
index 0891e6117..fc538ae0f 100644
--- a/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/Character.cs
+++ b/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/Character.cs
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ public string Culture {
 		}
 		public string Religion { get; set; } = string.Empty;
 		public string Name { get; set; } = string.Empty;
+		public string? CustomName { get; set; }
 		public string Nickname { get; set; } = string.Empty;
 		public ulong ProvinceID { get; private set; } = 0;
 		public Date BirthDate { get; private set; } = new Date(1, 1, 1);
@@ -85,7 +86,9 @@ public void AddYears(int years) {
 		public static HashSet<string> IgnoredTokens { get; } = new();
 		static Character() {
 			parser.RegisterKeyword("first_name_loc", reader => {
-				parsedCharacter.Name = new CharacterName(reader).Name;
+				var characterName = new CharacterName(reader);
+				parsedCharacter.Name = characterName.Name;
+				parsedCharacter.CustomName = characterName.CustomName;
 			});
 			parser.RegisterKeyword("country", reader => {
 				parsedCharacter.Country = new(ParserHelpers.GetULong(reader), null);
diff --git a/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/CharacterName.cs b/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/CharacterName.cs
index 1f77acf17..60edff5f4 100644
--- a/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/CharacterName.cs
+++ b/ImperatorToCK3/Imperator/Characters/CharacterName.cs
@@ -2,13 +2,8 @@
 
 namespace ImperatorToCK3.Imperator.Characters {
 	public class CharacterName : Parser {
-		private string name = string.Empty;
-		private string? customName;
-		public string Name {
-			get {
-				return customName ?? name;
-			}
-		}
+		public string Name { get; private set; } = string.Empty; // key for localization
+		public string? CustomName { get; private set; } // localized
 
 		public CharacterName(BufferedReader reader) {
 			RegisterKeys();
@@ -16,8 +11,8 @@ public CharacterName(BufferedReader reader) {
 			ClearRegisteredRules();
 		}
 		private void RegisterKeys() {
-			RegisterKeyword("name", reader => name = ParserHelpers.GetString(reader));
-			RegisterKeyword("custom_name", reader => customName = ParserHelpers.GetString(reader));
+			RegisterKeyword("name", reader => Name = ParserHelpers.GetString(reader));
+			RegisterKeyword("custom_name", reader => CustomName = ParserHelpers.GetString(reader));
 			RegisterRegex(CommonRegexes.Catchall, ParserHelpers.IgnoreAndLogItem);
 		}
 	}