diff --git a/hydromt_sfincs/utils.py b/hydromt_sfincs/utils.py
index 5e4801c1..28648f7d 100644
--- a/hydromt_sfincs/utils.py
+++ b/hydromt_sfincs/utils.py
@@ -241,9 +241,9 @@ def write_xyn(fn: str = "sfincs.obs", gdf: gpd.GeoDataFrame = None, crs: int = N
             except:
                 name = "obs" + str(point["id"])
             if crs.is_geographic:
-                string = f"{x:12.6f}{y:12.6f}  {name}\n"
+                string = f'{x:12.6f}{y:12.6f} "{name}"\n'
             else:
-                string = f"{x:12.1f}{y:12.1f}  {name}\n"
+                string = f'{x:12.1f}{y:12.1f} "{name}"\n'
             fid.write(string)
 
 
diff --git a/tests/data/sfincs_test/sfincs.obs b/tests/data/sfincs_test/sfincs.obs
index 99e24534..b281e062 100644
--- a/tests/data/sfincs_test/sfincs.obs
+++ b/tests/data/sfincs_test/sfincs.obs
@@ -1,3 +1,3 @@
-    320037.8   5042898.4  obs1
-    327100.8   5046162.0  obs2
-    322030.6   5047006.9  obs3
+    320037.8   5042898.4  "obs1"
+    327100.8   5046162.0  "obs2"
+    322030.6   5047006.9  "obs3"