diff --git a/examples/multiplication/multiplication.ino b/examples/multiplication/multiplication.ino
index 8a29c41..b04eeda 100644
--- a/examples/multiplication/multiplication.ino
+++ b/examples/multiplication/multiplication.ino
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ void loop() {
   // I do initialization in loop because this array must live as long as the program
   BLETypes::IInput* inputs[] = { &in };
 
-  BLE.start(SERVICE_UUID, inputs);
+  BLE.start(SERVICE_UUID, "multiplication service", inputs);
 
   while(true) {
     BLE.poll();
diff --git a/extras/nina-src/main/main.c b/extras/nina-src/main/main.c
index 9a05c26..5e8113b 100644
--- a/extras/nina-src/main/main.c
+++ b/extras/nina-src/main/main.c
@@ -18,7 +18,12 @@ void app_main(void)
     } else if (msg.type == BLE_CREATE_INPUT) {
       BleBackend_add_input(id, msg.length);
     } else if (msg.type == BLE_START) {
-      BleBackend_start("testname", &id->u);
+      const uint16_t namelen = msg.length;
+      char *name = malloc(namelen + 1);
+      read_from_uart(name, namelen);
+      name[namelen] = '\0';
+
+      BleBackend_start(name, &id->u);
       break;
     }
   }
diff --git a/src/FastBLE.h b/src/FastBLE.h
index b5b5003..9190576 100644
--- a/src/FastBLE.h
+++ b/src/FastBLE.h
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ class BLEClass {
     return { id, cb };
   };
 
-  void start(ble_uuid_any_t, BLETypes::IInput**);
+  void start(ble_uuid_any_t, const char *, BLETypes::IInput**);
   void poll();
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/FastBle.cpp b/src/FastBle.cpp
index fb3ee79..f2c1077 100644
--- a/src/FastBle.cpp
+++ b/src/FastBle.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ void BLEClass::init_if_not_initialized() {
   while(!Serial2);
 }
 
-void BLEClass::start(ble_uuid_any_t svc_id, BLETypes::IInput** inputs) {
+void BLEClass::start(ble_uuid_any_t svc_id, const char *name, BLETypes::IInput** inputs) {
   init_if_not_initialized();
 
   _inputs = inputs;
@@ -28,12 +28,17 @@ void BLEClass::start(ble_uuid_any_t svc_id, BLETypes::IInput** inputs) {
     inputs[i]->setup();
   }
 
+  uint16_t name_length = 0;
+  while(name[name_length++] != '\0');
+
   SetupMessage msg
     {
     type: BLE_START,
     uuid: svc_id,
+    length: name_length,
     };
   Serial2.write((uint8_t*)&msg, sizeof(SetupMessage));
+  Serial2.write((uint8_t*)name, name_length);
 }
 
 void BLEClass::poll() {
diff --git a/src/protocol/protocol.h b/src/protocol/protocol.h
index 3956c3f..3f7fe59 100644
--- a/src/protocol/protocol.h
+++ b/src/protocol/protocol.h
@@ -13,8 +13,12 @@ enum SetupMessageType
   };
 
 // A number of Create Output / Input messages can be sent
+//
 // Then a Start message should be sent with the uuid field set to the
-// UUID that the Service containing the characteristics should have.
+// UUID that the Service containing the characteristics should have and
+// the length field set to the length of the device's name.
+//
+// Then length bytes (the name) should be sent.
 
 typedef struct {
   uint8_t type;