diff --git a/src/servala/core/migrations/0019_add_display_name.py b/src/servala/core/migrations/0019_add_display_name.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..996fa67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/servala/core/migrations/0019_add_display_name.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+import servala.core.validators
+
+
+def populate_display_name(apps, schema_editor):
+    """
+    For existing instances, copy name to display_name.
+    Existing instances already have their name matching the k8s resource,
+    so we cannot add a prefix.
+    """
+    ServiceInstance = apps.get_model("core", "ServiceInstance")
+    for instance in ServiceInstance.objects.all():
+        instance.display_name = instance.name
+        instance.save(update_fields=["display_name"])
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+    dependencies = [
+        ("core", "0018_add_invoice_grouping_to_organization_origin"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AlterField(
+            model_name="serviceinstance",
+            name="name",
+            field=models.CharField(
+                max_length=63,
+                validators=[servala.core.validators.kubernetes_name_validator],
+                verbose_name="Resource Name",
+            ),
+        ),
+        # Add display_name field with a temporary default
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="serviceinstance",
+            name="display_name",
+            field=models.CharField(
+                default="",
+                help_text="Display name for this instance",
+                max_length=100,
+                verbose_name="Name",
+            ),
+            preserve_default=False,
+        ),
+        migrations.RunPython(populate_display_name, migrations.RunPython.noop),
+    ]
diff --git a/src/servala/core/models/service.py b/src/servala/core/models/service.py
index c6552c4..8872096 100644
--- a/src/servala/core/models/service.py
+++ b/src/servala/core/models/service.py
@@ -18,6 +18,10 @@ from encrypted_fields.fields import EncryptedJSONField
 from kubernetes import client, config
 from kubernetes.client.rest import ApiException
 
+import hashlib
+
+from django.conf import settings
+
 from servala.core import rules as perms
 from servala.core.models.mixins import ServalaModelMixin
 from servala.core.validators import kubernetes_name_validator
@@ -615,8 +619,16 @@ class ServiceInstance(ServalaModelMixin, models.Model):
     on the fly.
     """
 
+    # The Kubernetes resource name (metadata.name). This field is immutable after
+    # creation and is auto-generated for new instances. Do not modify directly!
     name = models.CharField(
-        max_length=63, verbose_name=_("Name"), validators=[kubernetes_name_validator]
+        max_length=63,
+        verbose_name=_("Resource Name"),
+        validators=[kubernetes_name_validator],
+    )
+    display_name = models.CharField(
+        max_length=100,
+        verbose_name=_("Name"),
     )
     organization = models.ForeignKey(
         to="core.Organization",
@@ -686,6 +698,24 @@ class ServiceInstance(ServalaModelMixin, models.Model):
         spec_data = prune_empty_data(spec_data)
         return spec_data
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def generate_resource_name(organization, display_name, service, attempt=0):
+        """
+        Generate a unique Kubernetes-compatible resource name.
+
+        Format: {prefix}-{sha256[:8]}
+
+        The hash input is: org_slug:display_name:service_slug[:attempt if > 0]
+        On collision, we retry with an incremented attempt number included in hash.
+        """
+        hash_input = (
+            f"{organization.slug}:{display_name.lower().strip()}:{service.slug}"
+        )
+        if attempt > 0:
+            hash_input += f":{attempt}"
+        hash_value = hashlib.sha256(hash_input.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()[:8]
+        return f"{settings.SERVALA_INSTANCE_NAME_PREFIX}-{hash_value}"
+
     @staticmethod
     def _apply_compute_plan_to_spec(spec_data, compute_plan_assignment):
         """
@@ -719,16 +749,20 @@ class ServiceInstance(ServalaModelMixin, models.Model):
         compute_plan_assignment,
         control_plane,
         instance_name=None,
+        display_name=None,
         organization=None,
         service=None,
     ):
         """
-        Build Kubernetes annotations for billing integration.
+        Build Kubernetes annotations for billing integration and display name.
         """
         from servala.core.models.organization import InvoiceGroupingChoice
 
         annotations = {}
 
+        if display_name:
+            annotations["servala.com/displayName"] = display_name
+
         if compute_plan_assignment:
             annotations["servala.com/erp_product_id_resource"] = str(
                 compute_plan_assignment.odoo_product_id
@@ -830,18 +864,35 @@ class ServiceInstance(ServalaModelMixin, models.Model):
     @transaction.atomic
     def create_instance(
         cls,
-        name,
+        display_name,
         organization,
         context,
         created_by,
         spec_data,
         compute_plan_assignment=None,
     ):
+        service = context.service_offering.service
+        name = None
+        for attempt in range(10):
+            name = cls.generate_resource_name(
+                organization, display_name, service, attempt
+            )
+            if not cls.objects.filter(
+                name=name, organization=organization, context=context
+            ).exists():
+                break
+        else:
+            message = _(
+                "Could not generate a unique resource name. Please try a different display name."
+            )
+            raise ValidationError(organization.add_support_message(message))
+
         # Ensure the namespace exists
         context.control_plane.get_or_create_namespace(organization)
         try:
             instance = cls.objects.create(
                 name=name,
+                display_name=display_name,
                 organization=organization,
                 created_by=created_by,
                 context=context,
@@ -883,8 +934,9 @@ class ServiceInstance(ServalaModelMixin, models.Model):
                 compute_plan_assignment=compute_plan_assignment,
                 control_plane=context.control_plane,
                 instance_name=name,
+                display_name=display_name,
                 organization=organization,
-                service=context.service_offering.service,
+                service=service,
             )
             if annotations:
                 create_data["metadata"]["annotations"] = annotations
@@ -941,6 +993,7 @@ class ServiceInstance(ServalaModelMixin, models.Model):
                 compute_plan_assignment=plan_to_use,
                 control_plane=self.context.control_plane,
                 instance_name=self.name,
+                display_name=self.display_name,
                 organization=self.organization,
                 service=self.context.service_offering.service,
             )