diff --git a/docs/rpc-node.md b/docs/rpc-node.md
index 917266f..a4d5084 100644
--- a/docs/rpc-node.md
+++ b/docs/rpc-node.md
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ Edit `.env` and set:
 
 | Variable        | What to set                                                                   |
 | --------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
-| `RPC_NAME`      | Identifiable name shown in telemetry (e.g. `Orbinum-RPC-1`).                  |
+| `RPC_NAME`      | Required. Identifiable name shown in telemetry (e.g. `Orbinum-RPC-1`).        |
 | `RPC_NODE_KEY`  | This node's libp2p key — generate with `openssl rand -hex 32`.                |
 | `RPC_DOMAIN`    | Public domain with a DNS A record pointing to this VPS's public IP.           |
 | `TELEMETRY_URL` | On by default; set empty to opt out. See [Telemetry](../README.md#telemetry). |
diff --git a/mainnet/rpc/.env.example b/mainnet/rpc/.env.example
index c051840..aa0df39 100644
--- a/mainnet/rpc/.env.example
+++ b/mainnet/rpc/.env.example
@@ -10,8 +10,9 @@
 
 ORBINUM_IMAGE=ghcr.io/orbinum/node:mainnet-latest
 
-# Shown in telemetry. Use rpc-1 / rpc-2 / ... per node.
-RPC_NAME=Orbinum-RPC-1
+# Required. The name telemetry shows for this node — one per node, e.g.
+# rpc-1 / rpc-2. The node does not start without it.
+RPC_NAME=
 
 # libp2p node-key, hex 64 chars — unique per node.
 #   openssl rand -hex 32
diff --git a/mainnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml b/mainnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml
index 9e85907..669e525 100644
--- a/mainnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/mainnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ services:
       - 1.1.1.1
     command: >
       --chain /chain-specs/mainnet-spec.json
-      --name "${RPC_NAME:-Orbinum-RPC}"
+      --name "${RPC_NAME:?set RPC_NAME in .env, the name telemetry shows for this node}"
       --base-path /data
       --listen-addr /ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/${P2P_PORT:-30333}
       --node-key ${RPC_NODE_KEY}
diff --git a/mainnet/validator/.env.example b/mainnet/validator/.env.example
index 8ded38e..99e3a35 100644
--- a/mainnet/validator/.env.example
+++ b/mainnet/validator/.env.example
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 
 ORBINUM_IMAGE=ghcr.io/orbinum/node:mainnet-latest
 
-# Shown in telemetry. Pick something identifiable.
-VALIDATOR_NAME=Choose-Your-Validator-Name
+# Required. The name telemetry shows for this node — pick something
+# identifiable. The node does not start without it.
+VALIDATOR_NAME=
 
 # libp2p node-key, hex 64 chars — unique per node.
 #   openssl rand -hex 32
diff --git a/mainnet/validator/docker-compose.yml b/mainnet/validator/docker-compose.yml
index 6d142b5..e1daacd 100644
--- a/mainnet/validator/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/mainnet/validator/docker-compose.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ services:
       - 1.1.1.1
     command: >
       --chain /chain-specs/mainnet-spec.json
-      --name "${VALIDATOR_NAME:-Orbinum-Validator}"
+      --name "${VALIDATOR_NAME:?set VALIDATOR_NAME in .env, the name telemetry shows for this node}"
       --base-path /data
       ${SYNC_MODE}
       --listen-addr /ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/${P2P_PORT:-30333}
diff --git a/testnet/indexer-rpc/.env.example b/testnet/indexer-rpc/.env.example
index c914e4e..370facc 100644
--- a/testnet/indexer-rpc/.env.example
+++ b/testnet/indexer-rpc/.env.example
@@ -9,7 +9,9 @@
 
 ORBINUM_IMAGE=ghcr.io/orbinum/node:testnet-latest
 
-RPC_NAME=Orbinum-Indexer-RPC
+# Required. The name telemetry shows for this node — one per node, e.g.
+# rpc-1 / rpc-2. The node does not start without it.
+RPC_NAME=
 
 # libp2p node-key, hex 64 chars — unique per node.
 #   openssl rand -hex 32
diff --git a/testnet/indexer-rpc/docker-compose.yml b/testnet/indexer-rpc/docker-compose.yml
index 5aa258c..65d95c8 100644
--- a/testnet/indexer-rpc/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/testnet/indexer-rpc/docker-compose.yml
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ services:
       - 1.1.1.1
     command: >
       --chain /chain-specs/testnet-spec.json
-      --name "${RPC_NAME:-Orbinum-Indexer-RPC}"
+      --name "${RPC_NAME:?set RPC_NAME in .env, the name telemetry shows for this node}"
       --base-path /data
       --listen-addr /ip4/${P2P_BIND:-0.0.0.0}/tcp/${P2P_PORT:-30333}
       --node-key ${RPC_NODE_KEY}
diff --git a/testnet/rpc/.env.example b/testnet/rpc/.env.example
index d8f8730..5a539b4 100644
--- a/testnet/rpc/.env.example
+++ b/testnet/rpc/.env.example
@@ -18,8 +18,9 @@ COMPOSE_PROJECT_NAME=testnet
 
 ORBINUM_IMAGE=ghcr.io/orbinum/node:testnet-latest
 
-# Shown in telemetry. Use rpc-1 / rpc-2 / ... per node.
-RPC_NAME=Orbinum-RPC-1
+# Required. The name telemetry shows for this node — one per node, e.g.
+# rpc-1 / rpc-2. The node does not start without it.
+RPC_NAME=
 
 # libp2p node-key, hex 64 chars — unique per node.
 #   openssl rand -hex 32
diff --git a/testnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml b/testnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml
index 5e18052..a07f510 100644
--- a/testnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/testnet/rpc/docker-compose.yml
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ services:
       - 1.1.1.1
     command: >
       --chain /chain-specs/testnet-spec.json
-      --name "${RPC_NAME:-Orbinum-RPC}"
+      --name "${RPC_NAME:?set RPC_NAME in .env, the name telemetry shows for this node}"
       --base-path /data
       --listen-addr /ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/${P2P_PORT:-30333}
       --node-key ${RPC_NODE_KEY}
diff --git a/testnet/validator/.env.example b/testnet/validator/.env.example
index 8142653..49685f3 100644
--- a/testnet/validator/.env.example
+++ b/testnet/validator/.env.example
@@ -6,8 +6,9 @@
 
 ORBINUM_IMAGE=ghcr.io/orbinum/node:testnet-latest
 
-# Shown in telemetry. Pick something identifiable.
-VALIDATOR_NAME=Choose-Your-Validator-Name
+# Required. The name telemetry shows for this node — pick something
+# identifiable. The node does not start without it.
+VALIDATOR_NAME=
 
 # libp2p node-key, hex 64 chars — unique per node.
 #   openssl rand -hex 32
diff --git a/testnet/validator/docker-compose.yml b/testnet/validator/docker-compose.yml
index 722df3a..b166802 100644
--- a/testnet/validator/docker-compose.yml
+++ b/testnet/validator/docker-compose.yml
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ services:
       - 1.1.1.1
     command: >
       --chain /chain-specs/testnet-spec.json
-      --name "${VALIDATOR_NAME:-Orbinum-Validator}"
+      --name "${VALIDATOR_NAME:?set VALIDATOR_NAME in .env, the name telemetry shows for this node}"
       --base-path /data
       ${SYNC_MODE}
       --listen-addr /ip4/0.0.0.0/tcp/${P2P_PORT:-30333}