diff --git a/server/src/crdt_state/mod.rs b/server/src/crdt_state/mod.rs
index 107a737f..5e45b630 100644
--- a/server/src/crdt_state/mod.rs
+++ b/server/src/crdt_state/mod.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ pub use types::{
     CrdtEvent, NodePresenceCrdt, NodePresenceView, PipelineDoc, PipelineItemCrdt, PipelineItemView,
     subscribe,
 };
-pub use write::write_item;
+pub use write::{migrate_names_from_slugs, name_from_story_id, write_item};
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 pub use state::init_for_test;
diff --git a/server/src/crdt_state/write.rs b/server/src/crdt_state/write.rs
index e79d8ae4..00f84c12 100644
--- a/server/src/crdt_state/write.rs
+++ b/server/src/crdt_state/write.rs
@@ -10,6 +10,99 @@ use super::state::{apply_and_persist, emit_event, get_crdt, rebuild_index};
 use super::types::{CrdtEvent, PipelineDoc, PipelineItemCrdt};
 use crate::slog;
 
+// ── Name migration helpers ────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+/// Derive a human-readable name from a story ID's slug component.
+///
+/// Strips the numeric prefix and item-type prefix (story/bug/spike/refactor),
+/// replaces underscores with spaces, and capitalises the first letter.
+///
+/// Examples:
+/// - `"729_story_store_story_name"` → `"Store story name"`
+/// - `"4_bug_login_crash"` → `"Login crash"`
+/// - `"10_spike_arch_review"` → `"Arch review"`
+pub fn name_from_story_id(story_id: &str) -> String {
+    // Strip the leading digits then the first underscore: "729_story_..." → "story_..."
+    let after_num = story_id.trim_start_matches(|c: char| c.is_ascii_digit());
+    let after_num = after_num.strip_prefix('_').unwrap_or(after_num);
+
+    // Strip the item-type prefix.
+    let slug = after_num
+        .strip_prefix("story_")
+        .or_else(|| after_num.strip_prefix("bug_"))
+        .or_else(|| after_num.strip_prefix("spike_"))
+        .or_else(|| after_num.strip_prefix("refactor_"))
+        .unwrap_or(after_num);
+
+    // Replace underscores with spaces.
+    let spaced = slug.replace('_', " ");
+
+    // Capitalise the first character.
+    let mut chars = spaced.chars();
+    match chars.next() {
+        None => String::new(),
+        Some(first) => {
+            let mut name = first.to_uppercase().to_string();
+            name.push_str(chars.as_str());
+            name
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/// Backfill the `name` CRDT field for pipeline items that have an empty name.
+///
+/// Iterates over all items in the in-memory CRDT.  For each item whose `name`
+/// register is empty, derives a human-readable name from the story ID slug
+/// (see [`name_from_story_id`]) and writes it via a signed CRDT op.
+///
+/// This is a one-time startup migration: items created before the `name` field
+/// was consistently populated will gain a name on the next server start.
+/// Items that already have a non-empty name are left untouched.
+pub fn migrate_names_from_slugs() {
+    let Some(state_mutex) = get_crdt() else {
+        return;
+    };
+
+    // First pass: collect (index, derived_name) pairs for items missing a name.
+    let migrations: Vec<(usize, String)> = {
+        let Ok(state) = state_mutex.lock() else {
+            return;
+        };
+        state
+            .index
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|(story_id, &idx)| {
+                let item = &state.crdt.doc.items[idx];
+                // Skip items that already have a name.
+                let already_named =
+                    matches!(item.name.view(), JsonValue::String(ref s) if !s.is_empty());
+                if already_named {
+                    return None;
+                }
+                let name = name_from_story_id(story_id);
+                if name.is_empty() {
+                    return None;
+                }
+                Some((idx, name))
+            })
+            .collect()
+    };
+
+    if migrations.is_empty() {
+        return;
+    }
+
+    // Second pass: apply all name writes while holding the lock.
+    let Ok(mut state) = state_mutex.lock() else {
+        return;
+    };
+    let count = migrations.len();
+    for (idx, name) in migrations {
+        apply_and_persist(&mut state, |s| s.crdt.doc.items[idx].name.set(name.clone()));
+    }
+    slog!("[crdt] Migrated names for {count} items from story ID slugs");
+}
+
 /// Write a pipeline item state through CRDT operations.
 ///
 /// If the item exists, updates its registers.  If not, inserts a new item
@@ -157,6 +250,118 @@ mod tests {
     use super::super::state::init_for_test;
     use super::super::state::rebuild_index;
     use super::*;
+
+    // ── name_from_story_id tests ─────────────────────────────────────────────
+
+    #[test]
+    fn name_from_story_id_story_type() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            name_from_story_id("729_story_store_story_name_as_a_crdt_field"),
+            "Store story name as a crdt field"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn name_from_story_id_bug_type() {
+        assert_eq!(name_from_story_id("4_bug_login_crash"), "Login crash");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn name_from_story_id_spike_type() {
+        assert_eq!(name_from_story_id("10_spike_arch_review"), "Arch review");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn name_from_story_id_refactor_type() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            name_from_story_id("99_refactor_decompose_server"),
+            "Decompose server"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn name_from_story_id_single_word() {
+        assert_eq!(name_from_story_id("1_story_auth"), "Auth");
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn name_from_story_id_unknown_type_fallback() {
+        // Unknown type prefix is left as-is after stripping the number.
+        assert_eq!(name_from_story_id("5_unknown_foo_bar"), "Unknown foo bar");
+    }
+
+    // ── migrate_names_from_slugs tests ───────────────────────────────────────
+
+    #[test]
+    fn migrate_names_from_slugs_fills_empty_names() {
+        init_for_test();
+
+        // Write an item without a name.
+        write_item(
+            "42_story_my_feature",
+            "1_backlog",
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+        );
+
+        // Before migration the name should be empty.
+        let before = read_item("42_story_my_feature").unwrap();
+        assert!(
+            before.name.as_deref().unwrap_or("").is_empty(),
+            "name should be empty before migration"
+        );
+
+        migrate_names_from_slugs();
+
+        // After migration the name should be derived from the slug.
+        let after = read_item("42_story_my_feature").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            after.name.as_deref(),
+            Some("My feature"),
+            "name should be derived from slug after migration"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn migrate_names_from_slugs_leaves_existing_names_unchanged() {
+        init_for_test();
+
+        write_item(
+            "43_story_named_item",
+            "1_backlog",
+            Some("Already Named"),
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+            None,
+        );
+
+        migrate_names_from_slugs();
+
+        let after = read_item("43_story_named_item").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(
+            after.name.as_deref(),
+            Some("Already Named"),
+            "pre-existing name must not be overwritten"
+        );
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn migrate_names_from_slugs_noop_when_crdt_not_initialised() {
+        // Should not panic when called before init.
+        // In practice get_crdt() returns None in a fresh thread.
+        // We call it here just to confirm no panic.
+        migrate_names_from_slugs();
+    }
     use bft_json_crdt::json_crdt::OpState;
     use bft_json_crdt::keypair::make_keypair;
     use bft_json_crdt::op::ROOT_ID;
diff --git a/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/story.rs b/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/story.rs
index 2a05ce65..10fa5e17 100644
--- a/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/story.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/mcp/story_tools/story.rs
@@ -241,10 +241,13 @@ pub(crate) fn tool_update_story(args: &Value, ctx: &AppContext) -> Result<String
     let user_story = args.get("user_story").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
     let description = args.get("description").and_then(|v| v.as_str());
 
-    // Collect front matter fields: explicit `agent` param + arbitrary `front_matter` object.
+    // Collect front matter fields: explicit `name`/`agent` params + arbitrary `front_matter` object.
     // Values are passed as serde_json::Value so native booleans, numbers, and arrays are
     // preserved and encoded correctly as unquoted YAML by update_story_in_file.
     let mut front_matter: HashMap<String, Value> = HashMap::new();
+    if let Some(name) = args.get("name").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
+        front_matter.insert("name".to_string(), Value::String(name.to_string()));
+    }
     if let Some(agent) = args.get("agent").and_then(|v| v.as_str()) {
         front_matter.insert("agent".to_string(), Value::String(agent.to_string()));
     }
diff --git a/server/src/http/mcp/tools_list.rs b/server/src/http/mcp/tools_list.rs
index 2ba10588..0d4ad7e6 100644
--- a/server/src/http/mcp/tools_list.rs
+++ b/server/src/http/mcp/tools_list.rs
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ pub(super) fn handle_tools_list(id: Option<Value>) -> JsonRpcResponse {
                 },
                 {
                     "name": "update_story",
-                    "description": "Update an existing story file. Can replace the '## User Story' and/or '## Description' section content, and/or set YAML front matter fields (e.g. agent, qa). Auto-commits via the filesystem watcher.",
+                    "description": "Update an existing story file. Can rename the story, replace the '## User Story' and/or '## Description' section content, and/or set YAML front matter fields (e.g. agent, qa). Auto-commits via the filesystem watcher.",
                     "inputSchema": {
                         "type": "object",
                         "properties": {
@@ -406,6 +406,10 @@ pub(super) fn handle_tools_list(id: Option<Value>) -> JsonRpcResponse {
                                 "type": "string",
                                 "description": "Story identifier (filename stem, e.g. '28_my_story')"
                             },
+                            "name": {
+                                "type": "string",
+                                "description": "New human-readable name for the story (stored as a CRDT field; does not change the story_id or any references)"
+                            },
                             "user_story": {
                                 "type": "string",
                                 "description": "New user story text to replace the '## User Story' section content"
diff --git a/server/src/main.rs b/server/src/main.rs
index 486d540e..ff9b5663 100644
--- a/server/src/main.rs
+++ b/server/src/main.rs
@@ -267,6 +267,10 @@ async fn main() -> Result<(), std::io::Error> {
         }
         if let Err(e) = crdt_state::init(db_path).await {
             slog!("[crdt] Failed to initialise CRDT state layer: {e}");
+        } else {
+            // Migrate items that have an empty name field: derive the name
+            // from the story ID slug.  No-op for items that already have a name.
+            crdt_state::migrate_names_from_slugs();
         }
     }