diff --git a/scripts/sensor-example.yaml b/scripts/sensor-example.yaml
index c0fbe1e..9760cd0 100644
--- a/scripts/sensor-example.yaml
+++ b/scripts/sensor-example.yaml
@@ -93,7 +93,8 @@
             type: uint32_t
   path: /xyz/openbmc_project/state/host1
   readingType: readingAssertion
-  sensorNamePattern: nameProperty
+  # set an explicit name for the sensor
+  sensorName: RebootAttempts
   sensorReadingType: 0x6F
   mutability: Mutability::Write|Mutability::Read
   sensorType: 0xC3
diff --git a/scripts/writesensor.mako.cpp b/scripts/writesensor.mako.cpp
index 69a44f4..8b26805 100644
--- a/scripts/writesensor.mako.cpp
+++ b/scripts/writesensor.mako.cpp
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 // !!! WARNING: This is a GENERATED Code..Please do NOT Edit !!!
 <%
 interfaceDict = {}
+sensorNameMaxLength = 16
 %>\
 %for key in sensorDict.keys():
 <%
@@ -52,12 +53,19 @@
        scale = sensor.get("scale", 0)
        hasScale = "true" if "scale" in sensor.keys() else "false"
        valueReadingType = sensor["readingType"]
-       sensorNamePattern = sensor.get("sensorNamePattern", "nameLeaf")
-       sensorNameFunc = "get::" + sensorNamePattern
        updateFunc = interfaceDict[serviceInterface]["updateFunc"]
        updateFunc += sensor["readingType"]
        getFunc = interfaceDict[serviceInterface]["getFunc"]
        getFunc += sensor["readingType"]
+       sensorName = sensor.get("sensorName", None)
+       if sensorName:
+           assert len(sensorName) <= sensorNameMaxLength, \
+                   "sensor name '%s' is too long (%d bytes max)" % \
+                   (sensorName, sensorNameMaxLength)
+       else:
+           sensorNameFunc = "get::" + sensor.get("sensorNamePattern",
+                   "nameLeaf")
+
        if "readingAssertion" == valueReadingType or "readingData" == valueReadingType:
            for interface,properties in interfaces.items():
                for dbus_property,property_value in properties.items():
@@ -87,7 +95,11 @@
         .updateFunc = ${updateFunc},
         .getFunc = ${getFunc},
         .mutability = Mutability(${mutability}),
+    % if sensorName:
+        .sensorName = "${sensorName}",
+    % else:
         .sensorNameFunc = ${sensorNameFunc},
+    % endif
         .propertyInterfaces = {
     % for interface,properties in interfaces.items():
             {"${interface}",{