diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyi b/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyi
index df7ed66446a..d046523b007 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyi
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyi
@@ -145,6 +145,7 @@ class ProgramOptions:
     ----------
     name : str, optional
         Name of the program. If the compilation succeeds, the name is passed down to the generated :class:`ObjectCode`.
+        When set to `None`, ``"default_program"`` is used.
     arch : str, optional
         Pass the SM architecture value, such as ``sm_<CC>`` (for generating CUBIN) or
         ``compute_<CC>`` (for generating PTX). If not provided, the current device's architecture
diff --git a/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyx b/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyx
index 27b1e5aa914..7fb099b06d2 100644
--- a/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyx
+++ b/cuda_core/cuda/core/_program.pyx
@@ -298,6 +298,7 @@ class ProgramOptions:
     ----------
     name : str, optional
         Name of the program. If the compilation succeeds, the name is passed down to the generated :class:`ObjectCode`.
+        When set to `None`, ``"default_program"`` is used.
     arch : str, optional
         Pass the SM architecture value, such as ``sm_<CC>`` (for generating CUBIN) or
         ``compute_<CC>`` (for generating PTX). If not provided, the current device's architecture
@@ -523,6 +524,9 @@ class ProgramOptions:
     numba_debug: bool | None = None  # Custom option for Numba debugging
 
     def __post_init__(self) -> None:
+        # Set name to default if not provided
+        if self.name is None:
+            self.name = "default_program"
         self._name = self.name.encode()
         # Set arch to default if not provided
         if self.arch is None:
diff --git a/cuda_core/docs/source/release/1.2.0-notes.rst b/cuda_core/docs/source/release/1.2.0-notes.rst
index 4622d837c35..14e14a83ee4 100644
--- a/cuda_core/docs/source/release/1.2.0-notes.rst
+++ b/cuda_core/docs/source/release/1.2.0-notes.rst
@@ -45,6 +45,12 @@ Fixes and enhancements
   closes `#2408 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/cuda-python/issues/2408>`__)
 >>>>>>> origin/main
 
+- :class:`ProgramOptions` now accepts ``name=None`` and falls back to the
+  documented default ``"default_program"``. Previously the annotated and
+  documented ``None`` raised ``AttributeError`` during construction.
+  (`#2517 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/cuda-python/pull/2517>`__,
+  closes `#2516 <https://github.com/NVIDIA/cuda-python/issues/2516>`__)
+
 Deprecation Notices
 -------------------
 
diff --git a/cuda_core/tests/test_program.py b/cuda_core/tests/test_program.py
index a9dc4966346..28465425c0e 100644
--- a/cuda_core/tests/test_program.py
+++ b/cuda_core/tests/test_program.py
@@ -351,6 +351,16 @@ def test_program_init_invalid_code_format():
         Program(code, "c++")
 
 
+# arch is passed explicitly so the current device is not queried.
+@pytest.mark.agent_authored(model="claude-opus-5")
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("name", [None, "my_program"])
+def test_program_options_name_accepts_none(name):
+    options = ProgramOptions(name=name, arch="sm_90")
+    expected = "default_program" if name is None else name
+    assert options.name == expected
+    assert options._name == expected.encode()
+
+
 # This is tested against the current device's arch
 def test_program_compile_valid_target_type(init_cuda):
     code = 'extern "C" __global__ void my_kernel() {}'