diff --git a/docs/architecture.md b/docs/architecture.md
index 2915608..6e75d4a 100644
--- a/docs/architecture.md
+++ b/docs/architecture.md
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ The `Transport` manages a WebSocket server (gorilla/websocket) and outbound conn
 | Timeout | −3.0 (floored at 0) |
 | Default (new peer) | 50.0 |
 
-**Peer name validation**: Names must be 1–64 characters, start and end with an alphanumeric character, and contain only alphanumeric, hyphen, underscore, or space characters.
+**Peer name validation**: Empty names are permitted. Non-empty names must be 1–64 characters, start and end with an alphanumeric character, and contain only alphanumeric, hyphen, underscore, or space characters.
 
 ### message.go — Protocol Messages
 
diff --git a/node/peer.go b/node/peer.go
index 76f4ee3..2aa750c 100644
--- a/node/peer.go
+++ b/node/peer.go
@@ -51,9 +51,8 @@ const (
 	PeerAuthAllowlist
 )
 
-// Peer name validation constants
+// Peer name validation constants.
 const (
-	PeerNameMinLength = 1
 	PeerNameMaxLength = 64
 )
 
@@ -72,11 +71,12 @@ func safeKeyPrefix(key string) string {
 }
 
 // validatePeerName checks if a peer name is valid.
-// Peer names must be 1-64 characters, start and end with alphanumeric,
-// and contain only alphanumeric, hyphens, underscores, and spaces.
+// Empty names are permitted. Non-empty names must be 1-64 characters,
+// start and end with alphanumeric, and contain only alphanumeric,
+// hyphens, underscores, and spaces.
 func validatePeerName(name string) error {
-	if len(name) < PeerNameMinLength {
-		return coreerr.E("validatePeerName", "peer name too short", nil)
+	if name == "" {
+		return nil
 	}
 	if len(name) > PeerNameMaxLength {
 		return coreerr.E("validatePeerName", "peer name too long", nil)
diff --git a/node/peer_test.go b/node/peer_test.go
index 393492b..7960f6f 100644
--- a/node/peer_test.go
+++ b/node/peer_test.go
@@ -543,7 +543,7 @@ func TestPeerRegistry_PeerNameValidation(t *testing.T) {
 		peerName  string
 		shouldErr bool
 	}{
-		{"empty name rejected", "", true},
+		{"empty name allowed", "", false},
 		{"single char", "A", false},
 		{"simple name", "MyPeer", false},
 		{"name with hyphen", "my-peer", false},
@@ -697,7 +697,7 @@ func TestValidatePeerName(t *testing.T) {
 		peerName  string
 		shouldErr bool
 	}{
-		{"empty rejected", "", true},
+		{"empty allowed", "", false},
 		{"single alphanumeric", "A", false},
 		{"simple alphanumeric", "TestPeer", false},
 		{"with hyphens", "test-peer", false},