+
+.TP
+.B names=yes
+Since Linux 2.6.29 it has been possible to create
+.B md
+devices with a name like
+.B md_home
+rather than just a number, like
+.BR md3 .
+.I mdadm
+will use the numeric alternative by default as other tools that interact
+with md arrays may expect only numbers.
+If
+.B names=yes
+is given in
+.I mdadm.conf
+then
+.I mdadm
+will use a name when appropriate.
+If
+.B names=no
+is given, then non-numeric
+.I md
+device names will not be used even if the default changes in a future
+release of
+.IR mdadm .