diff --git a/include/osg/Object b/include/osg/Object
index 73df9effe..94fd616c7 100644
--- a/include/osg/Object
+++ b/include/osg/Object
@@ -96,10 +96,14 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Object : public Referenced
         
 
         /** Set the name of object using C++ style string.*/
-        inline void setName( const std::string& name ) { _name = name; }
+        virtual void setName( const std::string& name ) { _name = name; }
 
         /** Set the name of object using a C style string.*/
-        inline void setName( const char* name ) { _name = name; }
+        inline void setName( const char* name )
+        {
+            if (name) setName(std::string(name));
+            else setName(std::string());
+        }
 
         /** Get the name of object.*/
         inline const std::string& getName() const { return _name; }
diff --git a/include/osg/Uniform b/include/osg/Uniform
index bc51eddc9..12d44a5fd 100644
--- a/include/osg/Uniform
+++ b/include/osg/Uniform
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class OSG_EXPORT Uniform : public Object
         Type getType() const { return _type; }
 
         /** Set the name of the glUniform, ensuring it is only set once.*/
-        void setName( const std::string& name );
+        virtual void setName( const std::string& name );
 
         /** Set the length of a uniform, ensuring it is only set once (1==scalar)*/
         void setNumElements( unsigned int numElements );
diff --git a/src/osg/Uniform.cpp b/src/osg/Uniform.cpp
index 8f2536f5b..3eb5d0d6d 100644
--- a/src/osg/Uniform.cpp
+++ b/src/osg/Uniform.cpp
@@ -88,8 +88,8 @@ void Uniform::setName( const std::string& name )
         osg::notify(osg::WARN) << "cannot change Uniform name" << std::endl;
         return;
     }
-    _name = name;
-    _nameID = getNameID(name);
+    Object::setName(name);
+    _nameID = getNameID(_name);
 }
 
 void Uniform::setNumElements( unsigned int numElements )