diff --git a/src/meta.zig b/src/meta.zig
index fab8461..b041e9d 100644
--- a/src/meta.zig
+++ b/src/meta.zig
@@ -85,3 +85,82 @@ pub fn AnyToType(comptime expr: anytype) type {
         else => @compileError("Expression must be a type or a tuple of two types"),
     }
 }
+
+/// Gets a Flecs-compatible symbol name for the specified type.
+/// Supports structs (except anonymous or generic), as well as
+/// single-item pointers to supported structs.
+///
+/// If the struct defines a public accessible `name`, it is used.
+pub fn flecsTypeName(comptime T: type) [:0]const u8 {
+    const allowed_characters =
+        "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" ++
+        "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ" ++
+        "0123456789_";
+    switch (@typeInfo(T)) {
+        .Struct => {
+            comptime var name: [:0]const u8 = undefined;
+            comptime if (@hasDecl(T, "name")) {
+                name = @field(T, "name");
+            } else {
+                name = @typeName(T);
+                if (std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, name, '{') != null)
+                    @compileError("Expected type with simple name, got '" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "' (anonymous type?)");
+
+                // If name includes fully qualified namespace, strip it.
+                if (std.mem.lastIndexOfScalar(u8, name, '.')) |i|
+                    name = name[(i + 1)..];
+
+                if (std.mem.indexOfScalar(u8, name, '(') != null)
+                    @compileError("Expected type with simple name, got '" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "' (generic type?)");
+                if (std.mem.indexOf(u8, name, "__") != null)
+                    @compileError("Expected type with simple name, got '" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "' (anonymous type?)");
+                if (std.mem.indexOfNone(u8, name, allowed_characters) != null)
+                    @compileError("Expected type with simple name, got '" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "' (invalid characters?)");
+            };
+            return name;
+        },
+        .Pointer => |p| {
+            if (p.size != .One)
+                @compileError("Expected struct or single-item pointer, got '" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "'");
+            return flecsTypeName(p.child);
+        },
+        else => @compileError("Expected struct or single-item pointer, got '" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "'"),
+    }
+}
+
+const expect = @import("./test/expect.zig");
+
+test flecsTypeName {
+    const Foo = struct {};
+    try expect.equal("Foo", flecsTypeName(Foo));
+    try expect.equal("Foo", flecsTypeName(*Foo));
+
+    const Bar = struct {
+        const Baz = struct {
+            const Quux = struct {};
+        };
+    };
+    try expect.equal("Quux", flecsTypeName(Bar.Baz.Quux));
+
+    try expect.equal("Anon", flecsTypeName((struct {
+        const Anon = struct {};
+    }).Anon));
+
+    try expect.equal("Random", flecsTypeName(std.Random));
+
+    // error: Expected struct or single-item pointer, got 'i32'
+    // _ = flecsTypeName(i32);
+
+    // error: Expected type with simple name, got 'array_list.ArrayListAligned(i32,null)' (generic type?)
+    // _ flecsTypeName(std.ArrayList(i32));
+
+    // error: Expected type with simple name, got 'meta.decltest.flecsTypeName__struct_...' (anonymous type?)
+    // _ = flecsTypeName(struct {});
+
+    // error: Expected type with simple name, got 'struct{comptime foo: comptime_int = 0}' (anonymous type?)
+    // _ = flecsTypeName(@TypeOf(.{ .foo = 0 }));
+
+    // error: Expected type with simple name, got 'meta.decltest.flecsTypeName.%&!*' (invalid characters?)
+    // const @"%&!*" = struct {};
+    // _ = flecsTypeName(@"%&!*");
+}
diff --git a/src/world.zig b/src/world.zig
index df8f5fd..31e56b2 100644
--- a/src/world.zig
+++ b/src/world.zig
@@ -137,14 +137,16 @@ pub fn World(comptime ctx: anytype) type {
             return Entity.init(self, config, add);
         }
 
-        pub fn tag(self: *Self, name: [:0]const u8, comptime T: type) !Entity {
+        pub fn tag(self: *Self, comptime T: type) !Entity {
+            const name = meta.flecsTypeName(T);
             if (@sizeOf(T) > 0) @compileError("'" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "' must be a zero-sized type");
             const result = try self.entity(.{ .name = name, .symbol = name }, .{});
             Context.lookupMut(T).* = result.raw;
             return result;
         }
 
-        pub fn component(self: *Self, name: [:0]const u8, comptime T: type) !Entity {
+        pub fn component(self: *Self, comptime T: type) !Entity {
+            const name = meta.flecsTypeName(T);
             if (@sizeOf(T) == 0) @compileError("'" ++ @typeName(T) ++ "' must not be a zero-sized type");
             const entity_ = try self.entity(.{ .name = name, .symbol = name, .use_low_id = true }, .{});
 
@@ -167,8 +169,8 @@ pub fn World(comptime ctx: anytype) type {
         /// Use `get()` and `set()` to get and set the value of this singleton.
         ///
         /// Returns the created component entity.
-        pub fn singleton(self: *Self, name: [:0]const u8, comptime T: type, value: T) !Entity {
-            const single = try component(self, name, T);
+        pub fn singleton(self: *Self, comptime T: type, value: T) !Entity {
+            const single = try component(self, T);
             single.set(T, value);
             return single;
         }