diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/testkit/TestKitDocTest.java b/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/testkit/TestKitDocTest.java
index 1d85fdc8f6..44d66f095b 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/testkit/TestKitDocTest.java
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/java/code/docs/testkit/TestKitDocTest.java
@@ -285,6 +285,19 @@ public class TestKitDocTest {
     //#test-probe
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void demonstrateTestProbeWithCustomName() {
+    //#test-probe-with-custom-name
+    new JavaTestKit(system) {{
+      final TestProbe worker = new TestProbe(system, "worker");
+      final TestProbe aggregator = new TestProbe(system, "aggregator");
+
+      assertTrue(worker.ref().path().name().startsWith("worker"));
+      assertTrue(aggregator.ref().path().name().startsWith("aggregator"));
+    }};
+    //#test-probe-with-custom-name
+  }
+
   @Test
   public void demonstrateSpecialProbe() {
     //#test-special-probe
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/java/testing.rst b/akka-docs/rst/java/testing.rst
index b54e88ff89..f3ce9f5d16 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/java/testing.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/java/testing.rst
@@ -388,6 +388,11 @@ flow, a :class:`TestProbe` could be inserted as target of A, using the
 forwarding capabilities or auto-pilot described below to include a real B in
 the test setup.
 
+If you have many test probes, you can name them to get meaningful actor names
+in test logs and assertions:
+
+.. includecode:: code/docs/testkit/TestKitDocTest.java#test-probe-with-custom-name
+
 Probes may also be equipped with custom assertions to make your test code even
 more concise and clear:
 
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/testkit/TestkitDocSpec.scala b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/testkit/TestkitDocSpec.scala
index a56f129b22..bb27caf3db 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/testkit/TestkitDocSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/scala/code/docs/testkit/TestkitDocSpec.scala
@@ -211,6 +211,16 @@ class TestkitDocSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout with ImplicitSender {
     //#test-special-probe
   }
 
+  "demonstrate usage of test probe with custom name" in {
+    //#test-probe-with-custom-name
+    val worker = TestProbe("worker")
+    val aggregator = TestProbe("aggregator")
+
+    worker.ref.path.name should startWith("worker")
+    aggregator.ref.path.name should startWith("aggregator")
+    //#test-probe-with-custom-name
+  }
+
   "demonstrate probe watch" in {
     import akka.testkit.TestProbe
     val target = system.actorOf(Props.empty)
diff --git a/akka-docs/rst/scala/testing.rst b/akka-docs/rst/scala/testing.rst
index 5cbaaa8010..51a0e09a23 100644
--- a/akka-docs/rst/scala/testing.rst
+++ b/akka-docs/rst/scala/testing.rst
@@ -443,6 +443,11 @@ message flow, a :class:`TestProbe` could be inserted as target of A, using the
 forwarding capabilities or auto-pilot described below to include a real B in
 the test setup.
 
+If you have many test probes, you can name them to get meaningful actor names
+in test logs and assertions:
+
+.. includecode:: code/docs/testkit/TestkitDocSpec.scala#test-probe-with-custom-name
+
 Probes may also be equipped with custom assertions to make your test code even
 more concise and clear:
 
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
index 3663145474..b38ec43276 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/main/scala/akka/testkit/TestKit.scala
@@ -116,6 +116,11 @@ trait TestKitBase {
 
   def lastSender = lastMessage.sender
 
+  /**
+   * Defines the testActor name.
+   */
+  protected def testActorName: String = "testActor"
+
   /**
    * ActorRef of the test actor. Access is provided to enable e.g.
    * registration as message target.
@@ -124,7 +129,7 @@ trait TestKitBase {
     val impl = system.asInstanceOf[ExtendedActorSystem]
     val ref = impl.systemActorOf(TestActor.props(queue)
       .withDispatcher(CallingThreadDispatcher.Id),
-      "testActor" + TestKit.testActorId.incrementAndGet)
+      "%s-%d".format(testActorName, TestKit.testActorId.incrementAndGet))
     awaitCond(ref match {
       case r: RepointableRef ⇒ r.isStarted
       case _                 ⇒ true
@@ -787,13 +792,17 @@ object TestKit {
 /**
  * TestKit-based probe which allows sending, reception and reply.
  */
-class TestProbe(_application: ActorSystem) extends TestKit(_application) {
+class TestProbe(_application: ActorSystem, name: String) extends TestKit(_application) {
+
+  def this(_application: ActorSystem) = this(_application, "testProbe")
 
   /**
    * Shorthand to get the testActor.
    */
   def ref = testActor
 
+  protected override def testActorName = name
+
   /**
    * Send message to an actor while using the probe's TestActor as the sender.
    * Replies will be available for inspection with all of TestKit's assertion
@@ -820,6 +829,7 @@ class TestProbe(_application: ActorSystem) extends TestKit(_application) {
 
 object TestProbe {
   def apply()(implicit system: ActorSystem) = new TestProbe(system)
+  def apply(name: String)(implicit system: ActorSystem) = new TestProbe(system, name)
 }
 
 trait ImplicitSender { this: TestKitBase ⇒
diff --git a/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestProbeSpec.scala b/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestProbeSpec.scala
index 5db387be49..cd98734b10 100644
--- a/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestProbeSpec.scala
+++ b/akka-testkit/src/test/scala/akka/testkit/TestProbeSpec.scala
@@ -2,11 +2,8 @@ package akka.testkit
 
 import language.postfixOps
 
-import org.scalatest.WordSpec
-import org.scalatest.Matchers
-import org.scalatest.{ BeforeAndAfterEach, WordSpec }
 import akka.actor._
-import scala.concurrent.{ Future, Await }
+import scala.concurrent.{ Await }
 import scala.concurrent.duration._
 import akka.pattern.ask
 import scala.util.Try
@@ -132,6 +129,15 @@ class TestProbeSpec extends AkkaSpec with DefaultTimeout {
       probe.expectMsg(1.seconds, Terminated(target)(false, false))
     }
 
+    "allow user-defined name" in {
+      val probe = TestProbe("worker")
+      probe.ref.path.name should startWith("worker")
+    }
+
+    "have reasonable default name" in {
+      val probe = new TestProbe(system)
+      probe.ref.path.name should startWith("testProbe")
+    }
   }
 
 }