diff --git a/docs/config.md b/docs/config.md
index 15b45af..da5aeed 100644
--- a/docs/config.md
+++ b/docs/config.md
@@ -117,7 +117,7 @@
 | `HIVE_URL` | str | `""` | Hive registry address (e.g. `http://192.168.1.168:8087`). Empty = standalone navi, no announcements. |
 | `ANNOUNCE_INTERVAL_SEC` | int | `120` | How often this navi re-announces itself to the hive. |
 | `SWARM_KEY_FILE` | str | `.swarm-key` | Shared PSK file (gitignored, 0600, generated by `deploy/install.sh`). |
-| `INSTANCE_FILE` | str | `instance.json` | This navi's identity for the swarm: generated name (two female names from Japanese/American/Spanish pools) + instance id. Rename = edit the file, restart. |
+| `INSTANCE_FILE` | str | `instance.json` | This navi's identity for the swarm: generated name (single female name from Japanese/American/Spanish pools) + instance id. Rename = edit the file, restart. |
 | `PEER_ASK_PROFILE` | str | `server_admin` | Which profile answers incoming `/peer/ask` questions (one-shot agent run). |
 | `PEER_ASK_TIMEOUT_SEC` | int | `120` | Hard ceiling for a single peer ask — the LLM turn inside `/peer/ask`. |
 
diff --git a/navi/identity.py b/navi/identity.py
index bc38b48..cb72ee5 100644
--- a/navi/identity.py
+++ b/navi/identity.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 """Instance identity — a stable, human-friendly name for this Navi install.
 
 Every deployed Navi carries ``instance.json`` in its working directory
-(gitignored): ``{"name": "yuki-grace", "instance_id": "<uuid>", "created_at": "..."}``.
-The name is generated once (two female names from different cultures —
-Japanese, American, Spanish; readable, speakable, collision-free at swarm
-scale: 50×50×3 picks) and is meant to be renamed by hand if the owner wants.
-The instance_id is the technical identity for audit and peer pinning.
+(gitignored): ``{"name": "yuki", "instance_id": "<uuid>", "created_at": "..."}``.
+The name is generated once — a single female name from the Japanese,
+American or Spanish pool (~150 in total; collisions across a swarm are
+possible, rename by hand when they happen). The instance_id is the technical
+identity for audit and peer pinning.
 
 Rename = edit the file, restart the server. Nothing else reads the name as
 long-lived state, so this is safe.
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@
     "vanesa",
 ]
 
-_NAME_POOLS = [_JAPANESE, _AMERICAN, _SPANISH]
+_NAME_POOLS = [_JAPANESE, _AMERICAN, _SPANISH]  # union = the name pool
 
 IDENTITY_FILE = "instance.json"
 
@@ -63,16 +63,14 @@
 
 
 def generate_name() -> str:
-    """Two female names from different cultures, e.g. ``yuki-grace``.
+    """A single female name from any culture pool, e.g. ``yuki`` or ``sofia``.
 
-    Single names would collide across a swarm (the peer channel addresses
-    machines by name); a mixed pair gives 7500×2 ordered combinations while
-    still reading as a pretty hyphenated female name.
+    Collisions across a swarm are possible (~150 names) — the owner renames
+    by hand (edit instance.json) when two machines draw the same name.
     """
     import secrets
 
-    pools = secrets.SystemRandom().sample(_NAME_POOLS, 2)
-    return f"{secrets.choice(pools[0])}-{secrets.choice(pools[1])}"
+    return secrets.choice(_JAPANESE + _AMERICAN + _SPANISH)
 
 
 def load_identity(path: str | Path = IDENTITY_FILE) -> InstanceIdentity:
diff --git a/navi/tools/peer.py b/navi/tools/peer.py
index 5b1c7df..0d838d0 100644
--- a/navi/tools/peer.py
+++ b/navi/tools/peer.py
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@
         "· ask <peer> <question> — ask a peer a question; its agent investigates "
         "on ITS machine and returns a text answer. Use for anything this peer "
         "can check better than you: its services, files, hardware, local state.\n\n"
-        "Address the peer by its swarm name (e.g. 'yuki-grace'). "
+        "Address the peer by its swarm name (e.g. 'yuki'). "
         "Answers can take up to a couple of minutes - the peer runs a real agent "
         "turn. Do not ask peers about this machine's state; check it locally."
     )
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
             },
             "peer": {
                 "type": "string",
-                "description": "Peer's swarm name (for ask/status), e.g. 'amber-falcon'",
+                "description": "Peer's swarm name (for ask/status), e.g. 'sofia'",
             },
             "question": {
                 "type": "string",
diff --git a/tests/unit/test_identity.py b/tests/unit/test_identity.py
index 9072c7f..d3e64e9 100644
--- a/tests/unit/test_identity.py
+++ b/tests/unit/test_identity.py
@@ -35,13 +35,11 @@
 }
 
 
-def test_generated_name_is_two_female_names():
+def test_generated_name_is_a_single_female_name():
     for _ in range(50):
         name = generate_name()
-        first, second = name.split("-")
-        assert first in _ALL_NAMES
-        assert second in _ALL_NAMES
-        assert first != second
+        assert name in _ALL_NAMES
+        assert "-" not in name
 
 
 def test_generated_names_vary():