diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
index 3c9c3d811..c00403a2e 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/res/values/strings.xml
@@ -273,9 +273,9 @@
     <string name="menu_revert_all">Restore all</string>
     <string name="menu_revert_colors">Restore colors</string>
     <string name="confirm_revert_colors">Are you sure you want to
-    restore all color preferences to their default values?</string>
+      restore all color preferences to their original values?</string>
     <string name="confirm_revert_all">Are you sure you want to restore
-    all preferences to their default values?</string>
+    all preferences to their original values?</string>
 
     <string name="prefs_defaults">New game defaults</string>
     <string name="prefs_defaults_summary">Default settings for new
@@ -571,4 +571,10 @@
     <string name="no_download_warning">Unable to download. Do you have
       a web browser installed?</string>
 
+    <string name="default_name_title">New player welcome</string>
+    <string name="default_name_message">Thanks for installing
+      Crosswords! Feel free to enter your name here.  It will be used
+      when creating new games.  (You can change it later in the \"New
+      game default\" section of Settings.)</string>
+
 </resources>
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
index 072d41c42..f32baf986 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/GamesList.java
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@ import android.view.MenuItem;
 import android.view.View;
 import android.view.ContextMenu.ContextMenuInfo;
 import android.widget.AdapterView;
+import android.widget.EditText;
 import android.widget.ListView;
 import android.widget.Button;
 import android.view.MenuInflater;
@@ -56,6 +57,7 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
     private static final int WARN_NODICT       = DlgDelegate.DIALOG_LAST + 1;
     private static final int WARN_NODICT_SUBST = WARN_NODICT + 1;
     private static final int SHOW_SUBST        = WARN_NODICT + 2;
+    private static final int GET_NAME          = WARN_NODICT + 3;
 
     private GameListAdapter m_adapter;
     private String m_missingDict;
@@ -158,6 +160,30 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
                         }
                     });
                 break;
+            case GET_NAME:
+                final EditText etext = new EditText( this );
+                etext.setText( CommonPrefs.getDefaultPlayerName( this, 0, 
+                                                                 true ) );
+                dialog = new AlertDialog.Builder( this )
+                    .setTitle( R.string.default_name_title )
+                    .setMessage( R.string.default_name_message )
+                    .setPositiveButton( R.string.button_ok, null )
+                    .setView( etext )
+                    .create();
+                dialog.setOnDismissListener(new DialogInterface.
+                                            OnDismissListener() {
+                        public void onDismiss( DialogInterface dlg ) {
+                            String name = etext.getText().toString();
+                            if ( 0 == name.length() ) {
+                                name = CommonPrefs.
+                                    getDefaultPlayerName( GamesList.this,
+                                                          0, true );
+                            }
+                            CommonPrefs.setDefaultPlayerName( GamesList.this,
+                                                              name );
+                        }
+                    });
+                break;
             default:
                 // just drop it; super.onCreateDialog likely failed
                 break;
@@ -201,6 +227,7 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
         Intent intent = getIntent();
         startFirstHasDict( intent );
         startNewNetGameIf( intent );
+        askDefaultNameIf();
 
         DBUtils.setDBChangeListener( this );
     } // onCreate
@@ -587,4 +614,12 @@ public class GamesList extends XWListActivity
             }
         }
     } // startNewNetGameIf
+
+    private void askDefaultNameIf()
+    {
+        if ( null == CommonPrefs.getDefaultPlayerName( this, 0, false ) ) {
+            showDialog( GET_NAME );
+        }
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/CommonPrefs.java b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/CommonPrefs.java
index 487bef2e4..6b75edd49 100644
--- a/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/CommonPrefs.java
+++ b/xwords4/android/XWords4/src/org/eehouse/android/xw4/jni/CommonPrefs.java
@@ -219,7 +219,8 @@ public class CommonPrefs {
         return value;
     }
     
-    public static String getDefaultPlayerName( Context context, int num )
+    public static String getDefaultPlayerName( Context context, int num,
+                                               boolean force )
     {
         int id = 0;
         switch( num ) {
@@ -229,13 +230,26 @@ public class CommonPrefs {
         case 3: id = R.string.key_player4_name; break;
         }
         String result = getString( context, id );
-        if ( null == result || 0 == result.length() ) {
+        if ( null != result && 0 == result.length() ) {
+            result = null;      // be consistent
+        }
+        if ( force && null == result ) {
             String fmt = context.getString( R.string.playerf );
             result = String.format( fmt, num + 1 );
         }
         return result;
     }
 
+    public static String getDefaultPlayerName( Context context, int num )
+    {
+        return getDefaultPlayerName( context, num, true );
+    }
+
+    public static void setDefaultPlayerName( Context context, String value )
+    {
+        setPrefsString( context, R.string.key_player1_name, value );
+    }
+
     public static CurGameInfo.XWPhoniesChoice 
         getDefaultPhonies( Context context )
     {
@@ -314,4 +328,16 @@ public class CommonPrefs {
             .getDefaultSharedPreferences( context );
         return sp.getString( key, "" );
     }
+
+    private static void setPrefsString( Context context, int keyID, 
+                                        String newValue )
+    {
+        SharedPreferences sp = PreferenceManager
+            .getDefaultSharedPreferences( context );
+        SharedPreferences.Editor editor = sp.edit();
+        String key = context.getString( keyID );
+        editor.putString( key, newValue );
+        editor.commit();
+    }
+
 }