diff --git a/src/peakrdl_html/exporter.py b/src/peakrdl_html/exporter.py
index dc545b7..2c5cdb7 100755
--- a/src/peakrdl_html/exporter.py
+++ b/src/peakrdl_html/exporter.py
@@ -51,6 +51,8 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs: 'Any') -> None:
             table in the node's description.
             Use this to bring forward user-defined properties, or other built-in
             properties in your documentation.
+        rdl_name_in_sidebar: bool
+            Use systemRDL name property in sidebar instead of instance name (if available). Default is False
         """
         self.output_dir = "" # type: str
         self.RALData = [] # type: List[Dict[str, Any]]
@@ -70,6 +72,7 @@ def __init__(self, **kwargs: 'Any') -> None:
         self.generate_source_links = kwargs.pop("generate_source_links", True)
         gmtu_translators = kwargs.pop("gitmetheurl_translators", None)
         user_template_dir = kwargs.pop("user_template_dir", None)
+        self.rdl_name_in_sidebar = kwargs.pop("rdl_name_in_sidebar", False)
 
         # Check for stray kwargs
         if kwargs:
@@ -196,10 +199,17 @@ def visit_addressable_node(self, node: Node, parent_id: 'Optional[int]'=None) ->
 
         self.indexer.add_node(node, this_id)
 
+        # Set display name based on user input and presence of name property
+        if self.rdl_name_in_sidebar:
+            display_name = node.get_property('name', default=node.inst.inst_name)
+        else:
+            display_name = node.inst.inst_name
+    
         ral_entry = {
             'parent'    : parent_id,
             'children'  : child_ids,
             'name'      : node.inst.inst_name,
+            'display'   : display_name,
             'offset'    : BigInt(node.inst.addr_offset),
             'size'      : BigInt(node.size),
         }
diff --git a/src/peakrdl_html/static/js/sidebar.js b/src/peakrdl_html/static/js/sidebar.js
index 166d760..43596b0 100644
--- a/src/peakrdl_html/static/js/sidebar.js
+++ b/src/peakrdl_html/static/js/sidebar.js
@@ -145,13 +145,13 @@ class Sidebar {
         link.className = "node-link";
         link.onclick = onClickTreeLink;
         if(RAL.is_array(id)){
-            var txt = node.name;
+            var txt = node.display;
             for(var i=0; i<node.dims.length; i++) {
                 txt += "[]";
             }
             link.innerHTML = txt;
         } else {
-            link.innerHTML = node.name;
+            link.innerHTML = node.display;
         }
         div.appendChild(link);