diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index d8e1851..a38c431 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -12,3 +12,10 @@
   - Add =desktop-registry-rename-desktop= command to rename a desktop.
 
   - Specify prompts for each action that wants a desktop selected.
+
+  - Allow specifying of desktop name by using the universal argument.
+
+  - Signal an error when the name for a desktop (either specified or
+    generated) already exists in the registry and show a message when
+    the specified directory has already been registered. Only add the
+    directory if neither of these conditions occur.
diff --git a/README.org b/README.org
index 545cf7b..be611a4 100644
--- a/README.org
+++ b/README.org
@@ -14,13 +14,6 @@ to fix that.
 
 * Usage
 
-  You can use =desktop-registry-prepend-directory= to add a new
-  directory to the registry, or
-  =desktop-registry-prepend-current-desktop= to add the currently loaded
-  desktop to the registry. If you enable
-  =desktop-registry-auto-register= it will automatically add new desktop
-  files to the registry when you use =desktop-save=.
-
   To switch between desktops you can use
   =desktop-registry-change-desktop=, this will prompt (with completion)
   for the directory you would like to load.
@@ -32,6 +25,17 @@ to fix that.
   the name you can use =desktop-registry-rename-desktop= to give it a
   new name.
 
+** Adding new desktops
+
+   You can use =desktop-registry-add-directory= to add a new directory
+   to the registry, or =desktop-registry-add-current-desktop= to add the
+   currently loaded desktop to the registry. With either of these
+   function you can use the universal argument (=C-u=) to specify a
+   name for the desktop as well.
+
+   If you enable =desktop-registry-auto-register= it will automatically
+   add new desktop files to the registry when you use =desktop-save=.
+
 ** With org-capture-templates
 
    The =desktop-registry-current-desktop= can be used to insert the
diff --git a/desktop-registry.el b/desktop-registry.el
index 5206b96..ba35d16 100644
--- a/desktop-registry.el
+++ b/desktop-registry.el
@@ -60,23 +60,33 @@ Returns DEFAULT when `desktop-dirname' is nil."
     default))
 
 ;;;###autoload
-(defun desktop-registry-add-directory (dir)
-  "Add DIR to the desktop registry."
-  (interactive "DDirectory: ")
+(defun desktop-registry-add-directory (dir &optional name)
+  "Add DIR to the desktop registry, possibly using NAME."
+  (interactive (list (read-directory-name "Directory: ")
+                     (if (equal current-prefix-arg '(4))
+                         (read-string "Name: "))))
   (let* ((clean-dir (desktop-registry--canonicalize-dir dir))
-         (label (file-name-base clean-dir)))
-    (unless (assoc label desktop-registry-registry)
-      (customize-save-variable
-       'desktop-registry-registry
-       (cons (cons label clean-dir) desktop-registry-registry)))))
+         (label (or name (file-name-base clean-dir))))
+    (cond
+     ((cl-find clean-dir desktop-registry-registry
+               :key 'cdr :test 'equal)
+      (message "Directory %s already registered" clean-dir))
+     ((cl-find label desktop-registry-registry :key 'car :test 'equal)
+      (error "Name %s already used" label))
+     (t (customize-save-variable
+         'desktop-registry-registry
+         (cons (cons label clean-dir) desktop-registry-registry))))))
 
 ;;;###autoload
-(defun desktop-registry-add-current-desktop ()
-  "Add the currently opened desktop file to `desktop-registry-registry'."
-  (interactive)
+(defun desktop-registry-add-current-desktop (&optional name)
+  "Add the currently opened desktop file to `desktop-registry-registry'.
+
+If NAME is specified use that as the name for the registry entry."
+  (interactive (list (if (equal current-prefix-arg '(4))
+                         (read-string "Name: "))))
   (unless desktop-dirname
     (error "No desktop loaded"))
-  (desktop-registry-add-directory desktop-dirname))
+  (desktop-registry-add-directory desktop-dirname name))
 
 (defun desktop-registry--completing-read (&optional prompt
                                                     default-current)