diff --git a/.changeset/nine-seahorses-love.md b/.changeset/nine-seahorses-love.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..6ef4a089b9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/nine-seahorses-love.md
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+---
+"@lix-js/sdk": minor
+---
+
+adds unique and default human readable version names
+
+- removes nullability of `version.name` which eases conditional logic. 
+- apps don't need custom default version naming logic anymore
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/apply-schema.ts b/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/apply-schema.ts
index ee96f796c8..39e23e4021 100644
--- a/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/apply-schema.ts
+++ b/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/apply-schema.ts
@@ -201,14 +201,7 @@ export function applySchema(args: { sqlite: SqliteDatabase }): SqliteDatabase {
   CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS version (
     id TEXT PRIMARY KEY DEFAULT (uuid_v7()),
 
-    -- name is optional. 
-    -- 
-    -- "anonymous" versiones can ease workflows. 
-    -- For example, a user can create a version 
-    -- without a name to experiment with
-    -- changes with no mental overhead of 
-    -- naming the version.
-    name TEXT
+    name TEXT NOT NULL UNIQUE DEFAULT (human_id())
   ) STRICT;
 
   CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS version_change (
diff --git a/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.test.ts b/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.test.ts
index 990962c60b..4295146500 100644
--- a/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.test.ts
+++ b/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.test.ts
@@ -524,3 +524,18 @@ test("version_change must have a unique entity_id, file_id, version_id, and sche
 		.values({ ...versionChange, version_id: version1.id })
 		.execute();
 });
+
+
+test("versions have a unique and default human readable name", async () => {
+	const lix = await openLixInMemory({});
+
+	const version0 = await createVersion({ lix });
+	const version1 = await createVersion({ lix });
+
+	expect(version0.name).not.toBe(version1.name);
+
+	await expect(
+		createVersion({ lix, name: version0.name }),
+		"version.name is unique"
+	).rejects.toThrow();
+});
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.ts b/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.ts
index 8ba622ffd6..23994e7df1 100644
--- a/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.ts
+++ b/packages/lix-sdk/src/database/init-db.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { ParseJsonBPluginV1 } from "./kysely-plugin/parse-jsonb-plugin-v1.js";
 import { SerializeJsonBPlugin } from "./kysely-plugin/serialize-jsonb-plugin.js";
 import { createSession } from "./mutation-log/lix-session.js";
 import { applyOwnChangeControlTriggers } from "../own-change-control/database-triggers.js";
+import { humanId } from "human-id";
 
 export function initDb(args: {
 	sqlite: SqliteDatabase;
@@ -91,4 +92,10 @@ function initFunctions(args: { sqlite: SqliteDatabase }) {
 		arity: 0,
 		xFunc: () => lixSession.sessionClockTick(),
 	});
+
+	args.sqlite.createFunction({
+		name: "human_id",
+		arity: 0,
+		xFunc: () => humanId({ separator: "-", capitalize: false }),
+	});
 }