diff --git a/mobile/src/components/NewWorktreeModal.tsx b/mobile/src/components/NewWorktreeModal.tsx
index 644a6f27184..0da42f35f21 100644
--- a/mobile/src/components/NewWorktreeModal.tsx
+++ b/mobile/src/components/NewWorktreeModal.tsx
@@ -189,8 +189,8 @@ function NewWorktreeModalContent({
   const [selectedRepo, setSelectedRepo] = useState<Repo | null>(null)
   // Why: a deleted workspace's directory can still hold agent conversation state keyed by cwd, so
   // its name must never be suggested again. Fetched per selected repo while the sheet is open.
-  const { names: retiredWorktreeNames, loading: retiredWorktreeNamesLoading } =
-    useRetiredWorktreeNames(client, selectedRepo?.id)
+  // Create is never gated on it: the host skips retired candidates before doing any git work.
+  const { names: retiredWorktreeNames } = useRetiredWorktreeNames(client, selectedRepo?.id)
   const { drawerView, formSheetVisible, formSheetInteractive, transitionDrawer, openSourceDrawer } =
     useNewWorktreeDrawerNavigation(visible)
   const createInFlightRef = useRef(false)
@@ -565,7 +565,7 @@ function NewWorktreeModalContent({
   }
 
   async function handleCreate(options: CreateOptions = {}) {
-    if (!client || !selectedRepo || retiredWorktreeNamesLoading || createInFlightRef.current) {
+    if (!client || !selectedRepo || createInFlightRef.current) {
       return
     }
     createInFlightRef.current = true
@@ -662,6 +662,7 @@ function NewWorktreeModalContent({
             client,
             repoId: selectedRepo.id,
             baseName,
+            nameWasGenerated: !trimmedName,
             createdWithAgentId,
             comment: trimmedNote,
             setupDecision,
@@ -685,7 +686,6 @@ function NewWorktreeModalContent({
   const canCreate =
     selectedRepo != null &&
     !creating &&
-    !retiredWorktreeNamesLoading &&
     !sshGate.requiresConnection &&
     (!needsSetupChoice || setupDecisionChoice != null)
   const visibleAgentOptions =
diff --git a/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.test.ts b/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.test.ts
index b1b391c55a4..32e9e162ef4 100644
--- a/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.test.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.test.ts
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ describe('createBlankWorkspace', () => {
       createdWithAgentId: undefined,
       comment: undefined,
       setupDecision: 'inherit',
+      nameWasGenerated: false,
       supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: true
     })
 
@@ -56,6 +57,25 @@ describe('createBlankWorkspace', () => {
     expect('comment' in params).toBe(false)
   })
 
+  it('marks the name as generated only when the user typed nothing', async () => {
+    // Why: the host retires generated names permanently; a name the user chose must stay reusable.
+    const calls: Call[] = []
+    const client = fakeClient(() => ({ worktree: { id: 'wt-3' } }), calls)
+
+    await createBlankWorkspace({
+      client,
+      repoId: 'repo-1',
+      baseName: 'octopus',
+      createdWithAgentId: undefined,
+      comment: undefined,
+      setupDecision: 'inherit',
+      nameWasGenerated: true,
+      supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: true
+    })
+
+    expect(calls[0]?.params).toMatchObject({ nameWasGenerated: true })
+  })
+
   it('sends startupAgent (not a pre-built command) so the host resolves launch args', async () => {
     // Why: regression — the modal used to send a bare startupCommand ('claude')
     // that skipped the host's default `--dangerously-skip-permissions`.
@@ -69,6 +89,7 @@ describe('createBlankWorkspace', () => {
       createdWithAgentId: 'claude',
       comment: 'spike',
       setupDecision: 'run',
+      nameWasGenerated: false,
       supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: true
     })
 
@@ -100,6 +121,7 @@ describe('createBlankWorkspace', () => {
       createdWithAgentId: undefined,
       comment: undefined,
       setupDecision: 'inherit',
+      nameWasGenerated: false,
       supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: true
     })
 
@@ -125,6 +147,7 @@ describe('createBlankWorkspace', () => {
       createdWithAgentId: undefined,
       comment: undefined,
       setupDecision: 'inherit',
+      nameWasGenerated: false,
       supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: true
     })
 
@@ -143,6 +166,7 @@ describe('createBlankWorkspace', () => {
       createdWithAgentId: undefined,
       comment: undefined,
       setupDecision: 'skip',
+      nameWasGenerated: false,
       supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: true
     })
 
diff --git a/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.ts b/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.ts
index 2cbed698276..14c095a777e 100644
--- a/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/tasks/blank-workspace-create.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ export async function createBlankWorkspace(args: {
   createdWithAgentId: TuiAgent | undefined
   comment: string | undefined
   setupDecision: WorkspaceCreateSetupDecision
+  /** True when `baseName` is a generated creature name rather than one the user typed; only then
+   *  may the host retire it. */
+  nameWasGenerated: boolean
   supportsIdempotentCutoverRetry: boolean | Promise<boolean>
 }): Promise<WorktreeCreateResult> {
   return createWorktreeWithNameRetry({
@@ -27,6 +30,7 @@ export async function createBlankWorkspace(args: {
         repo: `id:${args.repoId}`,
         setupDecision: args.setupDecision,
         name,
+        ...(args.nameWasGenerated ? { nameWasGenerated: true } : {}),
         ...agentLaunchCreateFields(args.createdWithAgentId)
       }
       if (args.comment) {
diff --git a/mobile/src/worktree/use-retired-worktree-names.ts b/mobile/src/worktree/use-retired-worktree-names.ts
index c875f2ca0c1..a641b3f9d4b 100644
--- a/mobile/src/worktree/use-retired-worktree-names.ts
+++ b/mobile/src/worktree/use-retired-worktree-names.ts
@@ -34,7 +34,11 @@ export function useRetiredWorktreeNames(
           | { retiredNamesByRepo?: Record<string, string[]> }
           | undefined
         const names = result?.retiredNamesByRepo?.[repoId]
-        setLoaded({ repoId, names: Array.isArray(names) ? names : [] })
+        setLoaded({
+          repoId,
+          // A host can answer with a malformed row; a non-string would throw when normalized.
+          names: Array.isArray(names) ? names.filter((name) => typeof name === 'string') : []
+        })
       })
       .catch(() => {
         if (!cancelled) {
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useComposerState.ts b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useComposerState.ts
index b4941cc26c6..dc43f47ae06 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/hooks/useComposerState.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/hooks/useComposerState.ts
@@ -1601,8 +1601,9 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
         .join('\0'),
     [repoId, worktreesByRepo]
   )
-  const { names: retiredWorktreeNames, loading: retiredWorktreeNamesLoading } =
-    useRetiredWorktreeNames(repoId, retiredNamesRefreshKey)
+  // Create is never gated on this load: the host skips retired candidates before any git work, so
+  // a pending fetch can only cost a suggestion, never correctness.
+  const { names: retiredWorktreeNames } = useRetiredWorktreeNames(repoId, retiredNamesRefreshKey)
   const fallbackCreatureName = useMemo(
     () => getSuggestedCreatureName(worktreesByRepo, undefined, retiredWorktreeNames),
     [worktreesByRepo, retiredWorktreeNames]
@@ -3580,7 +3581,6 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
     }
     if (
       !workspaceSeedName ||
-      retiredWorktreeNamesLoading ||
       selectedRepoRequiresConnection ||
       shouldWaitForSetupCheck ||
       shouldWaitForIssueAutomationCheck ||
@@ -3648,6 +3648,9 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
       if (!workspaceName) {
         return
       }
+      // Why: only a name Orca generated may be retired — the creature pool contains ordinary words
+      // ("orca", "runner", "molly") a user can type deliberately and expect to reuse.
+      const nameWasGenerated = !name.trim() && workspaceName === fallbackCreatureName
       const submitBaseBranch =
         smartGitHubResolution.kind === 'pr-start-point'
           ? smartGitHubResolution.baseBranch
@@ -3898,6 +3901,7 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
         {
           linkedWorkItem: toFolderWorkspaceLinkedTask(submitLinkedWorkItem),
           linkedTaskSourceContext: taskSourceContext,
+          nameWasGenerated,
           ...(!backendStartup && startupPlan?.draftPrompt
             ? { startupDraft: startupPlan.draftPrompt }
             : {})
@@ -4044,9 +4048,9 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
     shouldWaitForIssueAutomationCheck,
     shouldWaitForSetupCheck,
     sourceIntentBlocksCreate,
-    retiredWorktreeNamesLoading,
     taskSourceContext,
     workspaceSeedName,
+    fallbackCreatureName,
     isProjectGroupTarget,
     submitFolderTarget
   ])
@@ -4095,7 +4099,6 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
       }
       if (
         !workspaceNameSeed ||
-        retiredWorktreeNamesLoading ||
         sourceIntentBlocksCreate ||
         selectedRepoRequiresConnection ||
         (requiresExplicitSetupChoice && !setupDecision) ||
@@ -4184,6 +4187,8 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
         if (!workspaceName) {
           return
         }
+        // Why: only a name Orca generated may be retired — see the full-composer submit path.
+        const nameWasGenerated = !name.trim() && workspaceName === fallbackCreatureName
         const smartSubmitBaseBranch =
           smartGitHubResolution.kind === 'pr-start-point'
             ? smartGitHubResolution.baseBranch
@@ -4512,6 +4517,7 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
           linkedTaskSourceContext: taskSourceContext,
           ...(workspaceRunContext ? { workspaceRunContext } : {}),
           name: workspaceName,
+          ...(nameWasGenerated ? { nameWasGenerated: true } : {}),
           ...(createDisplayName ? { displayName: createDisplayName } : {}),
           ...(selectedRepoIsGit && submitBaseBranch ? { baseBranch: submitBaseBranch } : {}),
           ...(selectedRepoIsGit && submitCompareBaseRef
@@ -4632,7 +4638,6 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
       settings?.openAgentTabsInChatByDefault,
       smartNameMode,
       sourceIntentBlocksCreate,
-      retiredWorktreeNamesLoading,
       disabledTuiAgents,
       setupDecision,
       sparseEnabled,
@@ -4666,10 +4671,9 @@ export function useComposerState(options: UseComposerStateOptions): UseComposerS
     sparseError
   }
   const repoCreateDisabled =
-    retiredWorktreeNamesLoading ||
-    (createGateMode === 'quick'
+    createGateMode === 'quick'
       ? getQuickComposerCreateDisabled(createGateInput)
-      : getFullComposerCreateDisabled(createGateInput))
+      : getFullComposerCreateDisabled(createGateInput)
   const createDisabled = isProjectGroupTarget ? folderCreateDisabled : repoCreateDisabled
   const cardProps: ComposerCardProps = {
     eligibleRepos: isProjectGroupTarget ? folderSourceRepos : eligibleRepos,
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/pending-worktree-creation.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/pending-worktree-creation.ts
index d635e82555a..b1c45e9adc2 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/pending-worktree-creation.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/pending-worktree-creation.ts
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ export type WorktreeCreationRequest = {
    *  local-vs-runtime progress behavior even if the focused runtime changes. */
   worktreeCreateProgressMode?: WorktreeCreationProgressMode
   name: string
+  /** True only when `name` came from the creature-name generator; gates host-side retirement. */
+  nameWasGenerated?: boolean
   displayName?: string
   baseBranch?: string
   compareBaseRef?: string
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-creation-flow.ts b/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-creation-flow.ts
index 132f4825dc8..c822bed55ab 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-creation-flow.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/lib/worktree-creation-flow.ts
@@ -135,6 +135,7 @@ async function executeWorktreeCreation(
         preparedRequest.linkedGiteaPR,
         preparedRequest.compareBaseRef,
         {
+          ...(preparedRequest.nameWasGenerated ? { nameWasGenerated: true } : {}),
           ...(preparedRequest.linkedWorkItem !== undefined
             ? { linkedWorkItem: preparedRequest.linkedWorkItem }
             : {}),
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktree-helpers.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktree-helpers.ts
index c2980357ee8..995ca3bd8aa 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktree-helpers.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktree-helpers.ts
@@ -209,6 +209,8 @@ export type WorktreeSlice = {
       linkedTaskSourceContext?: TaskSourceContext | null
       /** Lets the owning runtime launch and prefill a task agent without first creating an idle shell. */
       startupDraft?: string
+      /** True only when `name` came from the creature-name generator; gates host-side retirement. */
+      nameWasGenerated?: boolean
     }
   ) => Promise<CreateWorktreeResult>
   /** Register an in-flight background creation and make it the active surface. */
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.test.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.test.ts
index 6077204ba51..7349b9a35e7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.test.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.test.ts
@@ -4867,6 +4867,51 @@ describe('createWorktree base status merge', () => {
     expect(mockApi.worktrees.prefetchCreateBase).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
   })
 
+  it('marks the create payload as a generated name only when the caller says so', async () => {
+    // Why: the host retires generated names permanently, and the creature pool contains ordinary
+    // words ("orca", "runner", "molly"). A name the user typed must stay reusable.
+    const store = createTestStore()
+    mockApi.worktrees.create.mockResolvedValue({
+      worktree: makeWorktree({ id: 'repo1::/path/wt1', repoId: 'repo1', path: '/path/wt1' })
+    })
+
+    await store.getState().createWorktree('repo1', 'nautilus', 'origin/main')
+    expect(mockApi.worktrees.create.mock.calls[0][0]).not.toHaveProperty('nameWasGenerated')
+
+    mockApi.worktrees.create.mockClear()
+    await store
+      .getState()
+      .createWorktree(
+        'repo1',
+        'nautilus',
+        'origin/main',
+        'inherit',
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        undefined,
+        { nameWasGenerated: true }
+      )
+    expect(mockApi.worktrees.create.mock.calls[0][0]).toMatchObject({ nameWasGenerated: true })
+  })
+
   it('passes linked work item and creation agent metadata through the create IPC payload', async () => {
     const store = createTestStore()
     const wt = makeWorktree({
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.ts b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.ts
index 00e421cb7df..4fd22ab07f7 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/store/slices/worktrees.ts
@@ -3945,6 +3945,7 @@ export const createWorktreeSlice: StateCreator<AppState, [], [], WorktreeSlice>
           const createArgs = {
             repoId,
             name: candidateName,
+            ...(options?.nameWasGenerated ? { nameWasGenerated: true } : {}),
             baseBranch,
             ...(compareBaseRef ? { compareBaseRef } : {}),
             ...(candidateBranchNameOverride
diff --git a/src/renderer/src/web/web-preload-api.ts b/src/renderer/src/web/web-preload-api.ts
index a67258618b9..8c10342a1f3 100644
--- a/src/renderer/src/web/web-preload-api.ts
+++ b/src/renderer/src/web/web-preload-api.ts
@@ -1772,10 +1772,20 @@ function createWorktreesApi(): NonNullable<Partial<PreloadApi>['worktrees']> {
         withRuntimeWorktreeOwner(worktree, owned.hostId)
       )
     },
-    // Why: retirement is host-owned state with no wire call, and paired hosts update independently
-    // of clients. Returning empty degrades a web-client suggestion to the pre-existing behavior
-    // (a spent name can be offered) rather than inventing an RPC an older host cannot answer.
-    listRetiredNames: async () => [],
+    // Why the catch: a host predating this method answers `method_not_found`, and an empty list
+    // degrades the suggestion to the pre-existing behavior rather than blocking workspace create.
+    listRetiredNames: async ({ repoId }) => {
+      try {
+        const result = await callRuntimeResult<{ retiredNamesByRepo?: Record<string, string[]> }>(
+          'worktree.listRetiredNames',
+          { repo: repoId }
+        )
+        const names = result.retiredNamesByRepo?.[repoId]
+        return Array.isArray(names) ? names.filter((name) => typeof name === 'string') : []
+      } catch {
+        return []
+      }
+    },
     listDetected: async ({ repoId }) => callRuntimeDetectedWorktrees(repoId),
     listAll: () => listAllRuntimeWorktrees(),
     create: async (args) => {