diff --git a/docs/Options.md b/docs/Options.md
index d1c4c2ae73d..685ae62eb7c 100644
--- a/docs/Options.md
+++ b/docs/Options.md
@@ -110,7 +110,7 @@ macOS (corresponds to [CFBundleDocumentTypes](https://developer.apple.com/librar
 | Name | Description
 | --- | ---
 | **ext** | <a name="FileAssociation-ext"></a>The extension (minus the leading period). e.g. `png`.
-| **name** | <a name="FileAssociation-name"></a>The name. e.g. `PNG`.
+| name | <a name="FileAssociation-name"></a>The name. e.g. `PNG`. Defaults to `ext`.
 | description | <a name="FileAssociation-description"></a>*windows-only.* The description.
 | icon | <a name="FileAssociation-icon"></a>The path to icon (`.icns` for MacOS and `.ico` for Windows), relative to `build` (build resources directory). Defaults to `${firstExt}.icns`/`${firstExt}.ico` (if several extensions specified, first is used) or to application icon.
 | role | <a name="FileAssociation-role"></a>*macOS-only* The app’s role with respect to the type. The value can be `Editor`, `Viewer`, `Shell`, or `None`. Defaults to `Editor`. Corresponds to `CFBundleTypeRole`.
diff --git a/packages/electron-builder/src/metadata.ts b/packages/electron-builder/src/metadata.ts
index 0ceef0847c0..a7e37b69af1 100755
--- a/packages/electron-builder/src/metadata.ts
+++ b/packages/electron-builder/src/metadata.ts
@@ -237,14 +237,14 @@ export interface FileAssociation {
   readonly ext: string | Array<string>
 
   /*
-   The name. e.g. `PNG`.
+   The name. e.g. `PNG`. Defaults to `ext`.
    */
-  readonly name: string
+  readonly name?: string | null
 
   /*
    *windows-only.* The description.
    */
-  readonly description?: string
+  readonly description?: string | null
 
   /*
    The path to icon (`.icns` for MacOS and `.ico` for Windows), relative to `build` (build resources directory). Defaults to `${firstExt}.icns`/`${firstExt}.ico` (if several extensions specified, first is used) or to application icon.
diff --git a/packages/electron-builder/src/packager/mac.ts b/packages/electron-builder/src/packager/mac.ts
index e97adacb6d1..175f75e8e7b 100644
--- a/packages/electron-builder/src/packager/mac.ts
+++ b/packages/electron-builder/src/packager/mac.ts
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ export async function createApp(packager: PlatformPackager<any>, appOutDir: stri
 
       const result = <any>{
         CFBundleTypeExtensions: extensions,
-        CFBundleTypeName: fileAssociation.name,
+        CFBundleTypeName: fileAssociation.name || extensions[0],
         CFBundleTypeRole: fileAssociation.role || "Editor",
         CFBundleTypeIconFile: iconFile
       }
diff --git a/packages/electron-builder/src/targets/nsis.ts b/packages/electron-builder/src/targets/nsis.ts
index a49b09417aa..b50f8ff6921 100644
--- a/packages/electron-builder/src/targets/nsis.ts
+++ b/packages/electron-builder/src/targets/nsis.ts
@@ -268,7 +268,7 @@ export default class NsisTarget extends Target {
             const icon = `"${installedIconPath}"`
             const commandText = `"Open with ${packager.appInfo.productName}"`
             const command = '"$appExe $\\"%1$\\""'
-            registerFileAssociationsScript += `  !insertmacro APP_ASSOCIATE "${ext}" "${item.name}" "${item.description || ""}" ${icon} ${commandText} ${command}\n`
+            registerFileAssociationsScript += `  !insertmacro APP_ASSOCIATE "${ext}" "${item.name || ext}" "${item.description || ""}" ${icon} ${commandText} ${command}\n`
           }
         }
         script = `!macro registerFileAssociations\n${registerFileAssociationsScript}!macroend\n${script}`
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ export default class NsisTarget extends Target {
         let unregisterFileAssociationsScript = ""
         for (const item of fileAssociations) {
           for (const ext of asArray(item.ext)) {
-            unregisterFileAssociationsScript += `  !insertmacro APP_UNASSOCIATE "${normalizeExt(ext)}" "${item.name}"\n`
+            unregisterFileAssociationsScript += `  !insertmacro APP_UNASSOCIATE "${normalizeExt(ext)}" "${item.name || ext}"\n`
           }
         }
         script = `!macro unregisterFileAssociations\n${unregisterFileAssociationsScript}!macroend\n${script}`