diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_qweb.xml b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_qweb.xml
index 79ae9a7b064..71a06764812 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_qweb.xml
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/ir/ir_qweb.xml
@@ -6,7 +6,12 @@
             --<span class="text-muted" t-esc="name"/>--
         </div>
         <div t-if="'name' in fields">
-            <span itemprop="name" t-esc="name"/>
+            <t t-if="object.name">
+                <span itemprop="name" t-esc="name"/>
+            </t>
+            <t t-if="not object.name and object.parent_name">
+                <span itemprop="name" t-esc="object.parent_name"/>
+            </t>
             <t t-if="options.get('country_image') and 'country_id' in fields and object.country_id and object.country_id.image">
                 <span t-field="object.country_id.image" t-field-options='{"widget": "image", "class": "country_flag"}'/>
             </t>
diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
index 61349c0e337..80b0fa5c0f7 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner.py
@@ -207,7 +207,7 @@ class res_partner(osv.Model, format_address):
 
     _order = "display_name"
     _columns = {
-        'name': fields.char('Name', required=True, select=True),
+        'name': fields.char('Name', select=True),
         'display_name': fields.function(_display_name, type='char', string='Name', store=_display_name_store_triggers, select=True),
         'date': fields.date('Date', select=1),
         'title': fields.many2one('res.partner.title', 'Title'),
@@ -342,6 +342,10 @@ class res_partner(osv.Model, format_address):
         (osv.osv._check_recursion, 'You cannot create recursive Partner hierarchies.', ['parent_id']),
     ]
 
+    _sql_constraints = [
+        ('check_name', "CHECK( (type='contact' AND name IS NOT NULL) or (type!='contact') )", 'Contacts require a name.'),
+    ]
+
     @api.one
     def copy(self, default=None):
         default = dict(default or {})
@@ -578,8 +582,10 @@ class res_partner(osv.Model, format_address):
             ids = [ids]
         res = []
         for record in self.browse(cr, uid, ids, context=context):
-            name = record.name
+            name = record.name or ''
             if record.parent_id and not record.is_company:
+                if not name and record.type in ['invoice', 'delivery', 'other']:
+                    name = dict(self.fields_get(cr, uid, context=context)['type']['selection'])[record.type]
                 name = "%s, %s" % (record.parent_name, name)
             if context.get('show_address_only'):
                 name = self._display_address(cr, uid, record, without_company=True, context=context)
diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner_view.xml b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner_view.xml
index e7ea9f8d49c..52839fd29a1 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner_view.xml
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_partner_view.xml
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@
                     <div class="oe_title">
                         <field name="company_type" options="{'horizontal': true}" class="oe_edit_only" widget="radio"/>
                         <h1>
-                            <field name="name" default_focus="1" placeholder="Name" />
+                            <field name="name" default_focus="1" placeholder="Name" attrs="{'required' : [('type', '=', 'contact')]}"/>
                         </h1>
                         <field name="parent_id"
                             placeholder="Company"
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@
                             on_change="on_change_company_type(company_type)"
                             options="{'horizontal': true}"/>
                         <h1>
-                            <field name="name" default_focus="1" placeholder="Name" required="1"/>
+                            <field name="name" default_focus="1" placeholder="Name" attrs="{'required' : [('type', '=', 'contact')]}"/>
                         </h1>
                         <div class="o_row">
                             <field name="parent_id"
@@ -285,7 +285,7 @@
                                                 </div>
                                             </group>
                                             <group>
-                                                <field name="name" string="Contact Name"/>
+                                                <field name="name" string="Contact Name" attrs="{'required' : [('type', '=', 'contact')]}"/>
                                                 <field name="title" placeholder="e.g. Mr."
                                                     attrs="{'invisible': [('type','&lt;&gt;', 'contact')]}"/>
                                                 <field name="function" placeholder="e.g. Sales Director"
diff --git a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users_view.xml b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users_view.xml
index db96c60de85..d2e81e0ad71 100644
--- a/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users_view.xml
+++ b/openerp/addons/base/res/res_users_view.xml
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@
                         <field name="image" widget='image' class="oe_avatar" options='{"preview_image": "image_medium"}'/>
                         <div class="oe_title">
                             <label for="name" class="oe_edit_only"/>
-                            <h1><field name="name"/></h1>
+                            <h1><field name="name" required="1"/></h1>
                             <field name="email" invisible="1"/>
                             <label for="login" class="oe_edit_only" string="Email Address"/>
                             <h2>
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@
                         <field name="image" widget='image' class="oe_avatar" options='{"preview_image": "image_medium"}'/>
                         <div class="oe_title">
                             <label for="name" class="oe_edit_only"/>
-                            <h1><field name="name"/></h1>
+                            <h1><field name="name" required="1"/></h1>
                             <field name="email" invisible="1"/>
                             <label for="login" class="oe_edit_only" string="Email Address"/>
                             <h2><field name="login" on_change="on_change_login(login)"/></h2>