diff --git a/src/commands/project.ts b/src/commands/project.ts
index cabe5fa..f190b7e 100644
--- a/src/commands/project.ts
+++ b/src/commands/project.ts
@@ -1,9 +1,16 @@
+import { createInterface } from 'node:readline/promises'
 import { ApiClient, requireProject } from '../api.js'
 import { writeProject } from '../config.js'
 import { info, die, printJson, handleApproval, renderNextActions } from '../util.js'
 import { installObserve } from '../observe/install.js'
 import { installSkills } from '../ensure-skills.js'
 
+// Interactive name prompt (stderr, so piped stdout stays clean). Enter accepts the default.
+async function promptName(question: string, def: string): Promise<string> {
+  const rl = createInterface({ input: process.stdin, output: process.stderr })
+  try { return (await rl.question(`${question} [${def}]: `)).trim() } finally { rl.close() }
+}
+
 // Best-effort: wire the credential-audit hook into the project (no-op if assets aren't built).
 function tryInstallObserve(): void {
   try {
@@ -19,12 +26,31 @@ async function resolveOrg(api: ApiClient, given?: string): Promise<string> {
   return orgs[0].id
 }
 
-export async function projectCreate(name: string, opts: { org?: string }): Promise<void> {
+/** A valid project name from a raw string: lowercase, non-alnum → hyphen, trimmed. */
+export function slugifyName(raw: string): string {
+  return raw.toLowerCase().replace(/[^a-z0-9]+/g, '-').replace(/^-+|-+$/g, '').slice(0, 40)
+}
+
+/** Name resolution so the recommended one-liner (`insta project create`, no arg) is paste-and-run:
+ *  explicit arg wins; else prompt with the cwd basename as default (TTY); else use the basename. */
+export async function resolveProjectName(
+  nameArg: string | undefined,
+  cwd = process.cwd(),
+  prompt?: (question: string, def: string) => Promise<string>,
+): Promise<string> {
+  const fromDir = slugifyName(cwd.split('/').filter(Boolean).pop() ?? 'app') || 'app'
+  if (nameArg) return slugifyName(nameArg)
+  if (prompt && process.stdin.isTTY) return slugifyName((await prompt('project name', fromDir)) || fromDir) || fromDir
+  return fromDir
+}
+
+export async function projectCreate(name: string | undefined, opts: { org?: string }): Promise<void> {
   const api = await ApiClient.load()
   const orgId = await resolveOrg(api, opts.org)
-  const out = await api.request('POST', `/orgs/${orgId}/projects`, { name })
+  const resolved = await resolveProjectName(name, process.cwd(), promptName)
+  const out = await api.request('POST', `/orgs/${orgId}/projects`, { name: resolved })
   await writeProject({ projectId: out.project.id, orgId, branch: out.defaultBranch.name })
-  info(`created project ${out.project.id} (${name})`)
+  info(`created project ${out.project.id} (${resolved})`)
   info(`  resources: ${out.resources.map((r: any) => r.kind).join(', ')}`)
   info(`  linked ./.insta/project.json (branch ${out.defaultBranch.name})`)
   renderNextActions(out.nextActions)
diff --git a/src/index.ts b/src/index.ts
index ca5c4c5..04cf6ae 100644
--- a/src/index.ts
+++ b/src/index.ts
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ orgCmd.command('create <name>').action(guard((name) => org.orgCreate(name)))
 
 // ---- project ----
 const pj = program.command('project').description('Manage projects')
-pj.command('create <name>').option('--org <id>', 'org to create under (default: personal)').action(guard((name, o) => project.projectCreate(name, o)))
+pj.command('create [name]').option('--org <id>', 'org to create under (default: personal)').action(guard((name, o) => project.projectCreate(name, o)))
 pj.command('list').option('--org <id>').option('--json').action(guard((o) => project.projectList(o)))
 pj.command('link <id>').description('Link a project to this directory').action(guard((id) => project.projectLink(id)))
 pj.command('delete').option('--project <id>').action(guard((o) => project.projectDelete(o)))
diff --git a/test/create-name.test.ts b/test/create-name.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..140e847
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/create-name.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+import { test, expect, afterEach } from 'vitest'
+import { slugifyName, resolveProjectName } from '../src/commands/project.js'
+
+const realTTY = process.stdin.isTTY
+afterEach(() => { Object.defineProperty(process.stdin, 'isTTY', { value: realTTY, configurable: true }) })
+
+test('slugify makes a valid project name', () => {
+  expect(slugifyName('My Cool App!')).toBe('my-cool-app')
+  expect(slugifyName('linkbox')).toBe('linkbox')
+})
+test('explicit arg wins (slugified)', async () => {
+  expect(await resolveProjectName('LinkBox', '/x/whatever')).toBe('linkbox')
+})
+test('no arg, non-TTY → directory basename (so the pasted one-liner runs unedited)', async () => {
+  Object.defineProperty(process.stdin, 'isTTY', { value: false, configurable: true })
+  expect(await resolveProjectName(undefined, '/Users/me/my-project')).toBe('my-project')
+})
+test('no arg, TTY → prompt, Enter accepts the dir-name default', async () => {
+  Object.defineProperty(process.stdin, 'isTTY', { value: true, configurable: true })
+  expect(await resolveProjectName(undefined, '/Users/me/cool-thing', async () => '')).toBe('cool-thing')
+  expect(await resolveProjectName(undefined, '/Users/me/cool-thing', async () => 'chosen name')).toBe('chosen-name')
+})