diff --git a/resources/lang/en.json b/resources/lang/en.json
index da3ae5706..afc4e8bf0 100644
--- a/resources/lang/en.json
+++ b/resources/lang/en.json
@@ -923,6 +923,10 @@
     "name_scale_label": "Name Scale",
     "name_cull_label": "Minimum name size",
     "name_cull_desc": "Hide names smaller than this size",
+    "colored_names_label": "Name color",
+    "colored_names_desc": "Show player names in their player color or in black",
+    "colored": "Colored",
+    "black": "Black",
     "reset_label": "Reset to defaults",
     "reset_desc": "Clear all graphics overrides"
   },
diff --git a/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts b/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts
index 969691edb..7219e0dde 100644
--- a/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts
+++ b/src/client/hud/layers/GraphicsSettingsModal.ts
@@ -137,6 +137,17 @@ export class GraphicsSettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
     this.patchName({ cullThreshold: value });
   }
 
+  private currentDarkNames(): boolean {
+    return (
+      this.userSettings.graphicsOverrides().name?.darkNames ??
+      !renderDefaults.name.fillUsePlayerColor
+    );
+  }
+
+  private onToggleNamesColored() {
+    this.patchName({ darkNames: !this.currentDarkNames() });
+  }
+
   private onResetClick() {
     this.userSettings.setGraphicsOverrides({});
     this.requestUpdate();
@@ -147,6 +158,7 @@ export class GraphicsSettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
 
     const nameScale = this.currentNameScale();
     const nameCull = this.currentNameCull();
+    const namesColored = !this.currentDarkNames();
 
     return html`
       <div
@@ -233,6 +245,25 @@ export class GraphicsSettingsModal extends LitElement implements Controller {
               </div>
             </div>
 
+            <button
+              class="flex gap-3 items-center w-full text-left p-3 hover:bg-slate-700 rounded-sm text-white transition-colors"
+              @click=${this.onToggleNamesColored}
+            >
+              <div class="flex-1">
+                <div class="font-medium">
+                  ${translateText("graphics_setting.colored_names_label")}
+                </div>
+                <div class="text-sm text-slate-400">
+                  ${translateText("graphics_setting.colored_names_desc")}
+                </div>
+              </div>
+              <div class="text-sm text-slate-400">
+                ${namesColored
+                  ? translateText("graphics_setting.colored")
+                  : translateText("graphics_setting.black")}
+              </div>
+            </button>
+
             <div class="border-t border-slate-600 pt-3 mt-4">
               <button
                 class="flex gap-3 items-center w-full text-left p-3 hover:bg-slate-700 rounded-sm text-white transition-colors"
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts b/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts
index 54ef6a3dd..c49254238 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ export const GraphicsOverridesSchema = z
       .object({
         nameScaleFactor: z.number(),
         cullThreshold: z.number(),
+        darkNames: z.boolean(),
       })
       .partial(),
   })
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts b/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts
index 9c6ef0353..84200b2f8 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings.ts
@@ -279,6 +279,19 @@ export function generateRenderSettings(
   if (overrides.name?.cullThreshold !== undefined) {
     settings.name.cullThreshold = overrides.name.cullThreshold;
   }
+  if (overrides.name?.darkNames !== undefined) {
+    const dark = overrides.name.darkNames;
+    // Dark: black fill + player-colored outline. Force outline RGB to black
+    // so the shader's defaultFill ramp (mix(uOutlineColor, black, fillT))
+    // collapses to pure black regardless of ambient.
+    // Colored: player-colored fill + white outline (defaults from JSON).
+    settings.name.fillUsePlayerColor = !dark;
+    settings.name.outlineUsePlayerColor = dark;
+    const channel = dark ? 0 : 1;
+    settings.name.outlineR = channel;
+    settings.name.outlineG = channel;
+    settings.name.outlineB = channel;
+  }
   return settings;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json b/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json
index d532d0f4e..8978d66ec 100644
--- a/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json
+++ b/src/client/render/gl/render-settings.json
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@
     "nameScaleCap": 3,
     "troopSizeMultiplier": 0.6,
     "outlineWidth": 1.4,
-    "outlineR": 1.0,
-    "outlineG": 1.0,
-    "outlineB": 1.0,
-    "outlineUsePlayerColor": false,
-    "fillUsePlayerColor": true,
+    "outlineR": 0.0,
+    "outlineG": 0.0,
+    "outlineB": 0.0,
+    "outlineUsePlayerColor": true,
+    "fillUsePlayerColor": false,
     "emojiRowOffset": 1.4,
     "statusRowOffset": 1.4
   },
diff --git a/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts b/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..4cd9fbb1b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/GraphicsOverrides.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,120 @@
+import { describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { GraphicsOverridesSchema } from "../src/client/render/gl/GraphicsOverrides";
+import {
+  createRenderSettings,
+  generateRenderSettings,
+} from "../src/client/render/gl/RenderSettings";
+
+describe("GraphicsOverridesSchema", () => {
+  test("accepts empty object", () => {
+    expect(GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse({}).success).toBe(true);
+  });
+
+  test("accepts partial name overrides", () => {
+    const cases = [
+      { name: {} },
+      { name: { nameScaleFactor: 0.8 } },
+      { name: { cullThreshold: 0.02 } },
+      { name: { darkNames: true } },
+      { name: { nameScaleFactor: 1.2, cullThreshold: 0, darkNames: false } },
+    ];
+    for (const c of cases) {
+      expect(GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse(c).success).toBe(true);
+    }
+  });
+
+  test("rejects wrong field types", () => {
+    expect(
+      GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse({ name: { nameScaleFactor: "big" } })
+        .success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+    expect(
+      GraphicsOverridesSchema.safeParse({ name: { darkNames: "yes" } }).success,
+    ).toBe(false);
+  });
+});
+
+describe("generateRenderSettings", () => {
+  test("with empty overrides matches createRenderSettings defaults", () => {
+    const fromGen = generateRenderSettings({});
+    const fromCreate = createRenderSettings();
+    expect(fromGen).toEqual(fromCreate);
+  });
+
+  test("returns a fresh object each call (no shared mutation)", () => {
+    const a = generateRenderSettings({});
+    const b = generateRenderSettings({});
+    expect(a).not.toBe(b);
+    expect(a.name).not.toBe(b.name);
+    a.name.nameScaleFactor = 999;
+    expect(b.name.nameScaleFactor).not.toBe(999);
+  });
+
+  test("does not mutate the overrides input", () => {
+    const overrides = { name: { darkNames: true as const } };
+    const snapshot = JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(overrides));
+    generateRenderSettings(overrides);
+    expect(overrides).toEqual(snapshot);
+  });
+
+  test("applies nameScaleFactor override", () => {
+    const settings = generateRenderSettings({ name: { nameScaleFactor: 1.3 } });
+    expect(settings.name.nameScaleFactor).toBe(1.3);
+  });
+
+  test("applies cullThreshold override (including 0)", () => {
+    expect(
+      generateRenderSettings({ name: { cullThreshold: 0.03 } }).name
+        .cullThreshold,
+    ).toBe(0.03);
+    expect(
+      generateRenderSettings({ name: { cullThreshold: 0 } }).name.cullThreshold,
+    ).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test("darkNames=true → black fill + player-colored outline + outline RGB 0", () => {
+    const s = generateRenderSettings({ name: { darkNames: true } }).name;
+    expect(s.fillUsePlayerColor).toBe(false);
+    expect(s.outlineUsePlayerColor).toBe(true);
+    expect(s.outlineR).toBe(0);
+    expect(s.outlineG).toBe(0);
+    expect(s.outlineB).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test("darkNames=false → player-colored fill + white outline + outline RGB 1", () => {
+    const s = generateRenderSettings({ name: { darkNames: false } }).name;
+    expect(s.fillUsePlayerColor).toBe(true);
+    expect(s.outlineUsePlayerColor).toBe(false);
+    expect(s.outlineR).toBe(1);
+    expect(s.outlineG).toBe(1);
+    expect(s.outlineB).toBe(1);
+  });
+
+  test("only-darkNames override leaves nameScale/cull at defaults", () => {
+    const defaults = createRenderSettings().name;
+    const s = generateRenderSettings({ name: { darkNames: true } }).name;
+    expect(s.nameScaleFactor).toBe(defaults.nameScaleFactor);
+    expect(s.cullThreshold).toBe(defaults.cullThreshold);
+  });
+
+  test("combined overrides all apply together", () => {
+    const s = generateRenderSettings({
+      name: { nameScaleFactor: 0.9, cullThreshold: 0.01, darkNames: true },
+    }).name;
+    expect(s.nameScaleFactor).toBe(0.9);
+    expect(s.cullThreshold).toBe(0.01);
+    expect(s.fillUsePlayerColor).toBe(false);
+    expect(s.outlineUsePlayerColor).toBe(true);
+    expect(s.outlineR).toBe(0);
+  });
+
+  test("settings outside the name slice are untouched by name overrides", () => {
+    const defaults = createRenderSettings();
+    const s = generateRenderSettings({
+      name: { nameScaleFactor: 0.6, darkNames: true },
+    });
+    expect(s.passEnabled).toEqual(defaults.passEnabled);
+    expect(s.dayNight).toEqual(defaults.dayNight);
+    expect(s.structure).toEqual(defaults.structure);
+  });
+});