diff --git a/collects/redex/private/judgment-form.rkt b/collects/redex/private/judgment-form.rkt
index 4198bb0320..9912acde89 100644
--- a/collects/redex/private/judgment-form.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/private/judgment-form.rkt
@@ -376,7 +376,10 @@
   (define-syntax-class horizontal-line
     (pattern x:id #:when (horizontal-line? #'x)))
   (define-syntax-class name
-    (pattern x #:when (string? (syntax-e #'x))))
+    (pattern x #:when (or (and (symbol? (syntax-e #'x))
+                               (not (horizontal-line? #'x))
+                               (not (eq? '... (syntax-e #'x))))
+                          (string? (syntax-e #'x)))))
   (define (parse-rules rules)
     (define-values (backward-rules backward-names)
       (for/fold ([parsed-rules '()]
@@ -432,14 +435,23 @@
        (not extension?)
        (raise-syntax-error #f "expected at least one rule" full-stx)]
       [_ (defined-name (list name/mode name/contract) rules full-stx)]))
-  (values form-name dup-names mode-stx contract rules rule-names))
+  (define string-rule-names
+    (for/list ([name (in-list rule-names)])
+      (cond
+        [(not name) name]
+        [(symbol? (syntax-e name))
+         (symbol->string (syntax-e name))]
+        [else (syntax-e name)])))
+  (values form-name dup-names mode-stx contract rules string-rule-names))
 
 ;; names : (listof (or/c #f syntax[string]))
 (define-for-syntax (check-dup-rule-names full-stx syn-err-name names)
   (define tab (make-hash))
   (for ([name (in-list names)])
     (when (syntax? name)
-      (define k (syntax-e name))
+      (define k (if (symbol? (syntax-e name))
+                    (symbol->string (syntax-e name))
+                    (syntax-e name)))
       (hash-set! tab k (cons name (hash-ref tab k '())))))
   (for ([(k names) (in-hash tab)])
     (unless (= 1 (length names))
diff --git a/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl b/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
index ebd4954a90..be84fb041a 100644
--- a/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
+++ b/collects/redex/scribblings/ref.scrbl
@@ -1161,7 +1161,8 @@ and @racket[#f] otherwise.
                        (side-condition @#,tttterm)
                        (side-condition/hidden @#,tttterm)]
               [rule-name (code:line)
-                         string]
+                         string
+                         non-ellipsis-non-hypens-var]
               [pat/term @#,ttpattern
                         @#,tttterm]
               [maybe-ellipsis (code:line)
diff --git a/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/judgment-form-definition.rktd b/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/judgment-form-definition.rktd
index b42881b44b..645179d84c 100644
--- a/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/judgment-form-definition.rktd
+++ b/collects/redex/tests/syn-err-tests/judgment-form-definition.rktd
@@ -68,7 +68,8 @@
    (define-judgment-form syn-err-lang
      #:mode (J I)
      [(J number)
-      bad-prem])
+      bad-prem
+      q])
    (void)))
 (#rx"expected judgment form name"
  ([bad-judgment-form q])
diff --git a/collects/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt b/collects/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt
index c51ee87754..51d2b131e0 100644
--- a/collects/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt
+++ b/collects/redex/tests/tl-test.rkt
@@ -2065,6 +2065,19 @@
             (list (term (s (s (s z))))))
       (test (judgment-holds (sumi ,'z (s z) (s z))) #t)
       
+      (define-judgment-form nats
+        #:mode (sumi2 I I O)
+        #:contract (sumi2 n n n)
+        [------------- sumz ;; symbol name
+         (sumi2 z n n)]
+        [(sumi2 n_1 n_2 n_3)
+         ---------------------------  "sumn" ;; string name
+         (sumi2 (s n_1) n_2 (s n_3))])
+      (test (judgment-holds (sumi2 z (s z) n) n)
+            (list (term (s z))))
+      (test (judgment-holds (sumi2 (s (s z)) (s z) n) n)
+            (list (term (s (s (s z))))))
+
       (define-judgment-form nats
         #:mode (sumo O O I)
         #:contract (sumo n n n)
@@ -2201,7 +2214,7 @@
       
       (test (judgment-holds (map-add-some-one (z (s z) (s (s z))) (n ...))
                             (n ...))
-            (list (term ((s z) (s (s z)) (s (s (s z)))))))      
+            (list (term ((s z) (s (s z)) (s (s (s z)))))))
       
       (define-judgment-form nats
         #:mode (hyphens I)