diff --git a/library/modules/Translation.cpp b/library/modules/Translation.cpp
index af06eeb49..8bd79d101 100644
--- a/library/modules/Translation.cpp
+++ b/library/modules/Translation.cpp
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ distribution.
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 #include <map>
-using namespace std;
+#include <functional>
 
 #include "modules/Translation.h"
 #include "VersionInfo.h"
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ using namespace std;
 #include "ModuleFactory.h"
 #include "Core.h"
 #include "Error.h"
+#include "Debug.h"
 
 using namespace DFHack;
 using namespace df::enums;
@@ -44,10 +45,16 @@ using namespace df::enums;
 #include "df/world.h"
 #include "df/d_init.h"
 
+using std::vector, std::string;
+
 using df::global::world;
 using df::global::d_init;
 using df::global::gametype;
 
+namespace DFHack {
+    DBG_DECLARE(core, translate, DebugCategory::LINFO);
+}
+
 bool Translation::IsValid ()
 {
     return (world && (world->raws.language.words.size() > 0) && (world->raws.language.translations.size() > 0));
@@ -167,6 +174,23 @@ string Translation::TranslateName(const df::language_name * name, bool inEnglish
     CHECK_NULL_POINTER(name);
 
     string out;
+
+    auto fp = df::global::translate_name;
+
+    if (fp) {
+        DEBUG(translate).print("using df provided translate_name function\n");
+        typedef std::function<void(const df::language_name&, std::string&, bool, bool)> fun_type;
+        auto f = reinterpret_cast<fun_type*>(fp);
+        try {
+            (*f)(*name, out, inEnglish, onlyLastPart);
+            return out;
+        }
+        catch (...) {
+            WARN(translate).print("df provided translate_name function threw an exception, falling back\n");
+        }
+    }
+
+    DEBUG(translate).print("using dfhack fallback translate_name function\n");
     string word;
 
     if (!onlyLastPart) {