diff --git a/HName.cc b/HName.cc
index c783d57bb..6b40eafcd 100644
--- a/HName.cc
+++ b/HName.cc
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ hname_t::hname_t(perm_string text, int num)
       number_[0] = num;
 }
 
-hname_t::hname_t(perm_string text, vector<int>&nums)
+hname_t::hname_t(perm_string text, const vector<int>&nums)
 : name_(text), number_(nums)
 {
 }
diff --git a/HName.h b/HName.h
index 90f0d7942..b278aae55 100644
--- a/HName.h
+++ b/HName.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ class hname_t {
       hname_t ();
       explicit hname_t (perm_string text);
       explicit hname_t (perm_string text, int num);
-      explicit hname_t (perm_string text, std::vector<int>&nums);
+      explicit hname_t (perm_string text, const std::vector<int>&nums);
       hname_t (const hname_t&that);
       ~hname_t();
 
@@ -56,12 +56,12 @@ class hname_t {
 
       size_t has_numbers() const;
       int peek_number(size_t idx) const;
+      const std::vector<int>&peek_numbers() const;
 
     private:
       perm_string name_;
-	// If the number is anything other than INT_MIN, then this is
-	// the numeric part of the name. Otherwise, it is not part of
-	// the name at all.
+	// If this vector has size, then the numbers all together make
+	// up part of the hierarchical name.
       std::vector<int> number_;
 
     private: // not implemented
@@ -82,6 +82,11 @@ inline int hname_t::peek_number(size_t idx) const
       return number_[idx];
 }
 
+inline const std::vector<int>& hname_t::peek_numbers(void) const
+{
+      return number_;
+}
+
 inline size_t hname_t::has_numbers() const
 {
       return number_.size();
diff --git a/elaborate.cc b/elaborate.cc
index c4024bedd..376c099d1 100644
--- a/elaborate.cc
+++ b/elaborate.cc
@@ -5728,6 +5728,9 @@ bool PGenerate::elaborate(Design*des, NetScope*container) const
 		  "generate " << scheme_type
 		 << " elaborating in scope " << scope_path(container)
 		 << "." << endl;
+	    cerr << get_fileline() << ": PGenerate::elaborate: "
+		  "generate scope_name=" << scope_name
+		 << ", id_number=" << id_number << endl;
       }
 
 	// Handle the special case that this is a CASE scheme. In this
@@ -5762,6 +5765,7 @@ bool PGenerate::elaborate(Design*des, NetScope*container) const
 	      // scheme defined in the Verilog-2005 standard.
 	    const char*name = scope_name.str();
 	    if (name[0] == '$') {
+
 		  if (!scope->auto_name("genblk", '0', name + 4)) {
 			cerr << get_fileline() << ": warning: Couldn't build"
 			     << " unique name for unnamed generate block"
diff --git a/net_scope.cc b/net_scope.cc
index 5ebd657d6..688266aff 100644
--- a/net_scope.cc
+++ b/net_scope.cc
@@ -264,19 +264,20 @@ bool NetScope::auto_name(const char*prefix, char pad, const char* suffix)
       assert(self != up_->children_.end());
       assert(self->second == this);
 
-      char tmp[32];
-      int pad_pos = strlen(prefix);
-      int max_pos = sizeof(tmp) - strlen(suffix) - 1;
-      strncpy(tmp, prefix, sizeof(tmp));
-      tmp[31] = 0;
+	// This is to keep the pad attempts from being stuck in some
+	// sort of infinite loop. This should not be a practical
+	// limit, but an extreme one.
+      const size_t max_pad_attempts = 32 + strlen(prefix);
+
+      string use_prefix = prefix;
 
 	// Try a variety of potential new names. Make sure the new
 	// name is not in the parent scope. Keep looking until we are
 	// sure we have a unique name, or we run out of names to try.
-      while (pad_pos <= max_pos) {
+      while (use_prefix.size() <= max_pad_attempts) {
 	      // Try this name...
-	    strcat(tmp + pad_pos, suffix);
-	    hname_t new_name(lex_strings.make(tmp));
+	    string tmp = use_prefix + suffix;
+	    hname_t new_name(lex_strings.make(tmp.c_str()), name_.peek_numbers());
 	    if (!up_->child(new_name)) {
 		    // Ah, this name is unique. Rename myself, and
 		    // change my name in the parent scope.
@@ -285,7 +286,9 @@ bool NetScope::auto_name(const char*prefix, char pad, const char* suffix)
 		  up_->children_[name_] = this;
 		  return true;
 	    }
-	    tmp[pad_pos++] = pad;
+
+	      // Name collides, so try a different name.
+	    use_prefix = use_prefix + pad;
       }
       return false;
 }